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THE 


AMERICfltt 


Slang  Dictionary 


BY 


JAMES  MfllTLAHD. 


EMBODYING  ALL  AMERICAN  AND  ENGLISH  SLANG  PHRASES  IN 
CURRENT  USE,  WITH  THEIR  DERIVATION  AND  PHILOLOGY. 


CHICAGO. 

1891. 


COPYRIGHT  1891 

BY 

JAMES  MAITLAND. 


CHICAGO,  ILL. 

PRINTKD  AND  PUBLI8HBD  FOR  THK  AUTHOR  BY 

R.  J.  KITTREDGE  &  CO., 

51  TO  58  WssT  Jackson  Strsbt, 

1891. 


(JO 


>^ 


To  the  army  of  newspaper  workers  in  whose  ranks 
the  writer  is  proud  to  be  enrolled  this  Dictionary  of 
Slang  is  dedicated. 


The  compiler  will  feel  greatly  obliged  for  sugges- 
tions of  slang  words  of  new  mintage,  or  of  any  pop- 
ular expressions  which  he  may  have  overlooked. 


PREFACE. 


In  the  preparation  of  this  "  Dictionary  of 
American  Slang"  it  has  been  the  aim  of  the  compiler 
to  include  as  many  as  practicable  of  those  words  and 
phrases  which,  though  they  find  no  place  in  standard 
dictionaries,  enter  so  largely  into  the  everyday 
speech  of  the  people. 

The  United  States,  when  it  borrowed  the  language 
of  the  Mother  Country,  adopted  also  many  of  its 
colloquialisms  and  many  more  of  its  provincialisms. 
Ours  is  the  tongue  that  Shakespeare  spoke,  and  our 
inheritance  includes  much  of  the  heterodox  philology 
of  our  British  cousins.  Especially  with  respect  to 
sporting  and  theatrical  slang,  and  to  the  language 
common  to  the  thief  and  the  thief-catcher  and  known 
as  "Thieves'  patter,"  the  majority  of  words,  and 
phrases  are  as  often  used  in  one  country  as  in  the 
other. 


This  work,  therefore^  while  aiming  to  present  a     ^  „JLa,      ^ 
full  list  of  distinctively  American  slang, — that  which  \!y^ 

is  born  of  the  soil — will  include  also  the  recognized  Ww^a.- 

slang  words  and  phrases  of  English  origin  and  use.  ■'^^^AA^ 
No  such  collection  has  heretofore  been  made.  The 
earlier  English  works — such  as  those  of  Grose, 
Pearce  Egan  and  their  followers,  copyists  and  plagi- 
arists cover  but  a  narrow  field.  They  deal  largely 
with  obsolete  Cant,  with  the  no  less  obsolete  terms 
of  the  prize  ring,  with  purely  Cockney  and  provin- 
cial idioms  in  which  not  even  an  antiquarian  interest 
can  be  felt.  In  addition  to  this  they  are  disfigured 
by  vulgarisms  and  indecency. 

A  quarter  of  a  century  ago  or  more  John  C. 
Hotten,  a  London  publisher,  issued  a  "  Slang  Dic- 
tionary,"  which,  while  a  vast  improvement  on  all 
its  predecessors,  was  confined  inTts  scope  toT^ngTrsh 
slang.  Mr.  Hotten,  although  as  we  believe,  an 
American,  entirely  neglected  the  terse,  distinctive, 
and  epigrammatic  colloquialisms  of  the  New  World. 
In  his  otherwise  valuable  work  far  too  much  space 
is  devoted  to  the  Cant  of  the  Gipsies,  to  the  thieves 
patter  of  St.  Giles's  clerks,  and  to  obsolete  matters 
generally.  It  gives  an  account  of  the  hieroglyphics 
said  to  be  used  by  English  beggars  as  a  guide  for 
each  other;  a  sketch  of  the  macaronic  dialect  of 
English  fashionable   life  in  the  eighteenth  century; 


and  glossaries  of  back  slang,  rhyming  slang  and  the 
alleged  centre  slang.  Some  300  pages  are  appor- 
tioned to  definitions  of  slang  words  and  phrases,  and 
the  average  number  of  these  to  a  page  may  be 
estimated  as  a  dozen.  In  all  less  than  4000  defini- 
tions are  given,  while  the  present  work  furnishes 
over  6000. 

The  present  compiler  holds,  without  the  slightest 
disrespect  to  earlier  searchers  in  this  field,  (to  many 
of  whom  he  is  under  great  obligations)  that  no  work 
heretofore  published  upon  this  subject  meets  the 
needs  of  the  educated  people  of  the  United  States 
in  the  present  day.  No  dictionary  of^  American 
slang  exists,  although  collections  of  Americanisms 
have  been  published,  one  of  which  (that  of  John 
Russell  Bartlett)  is  valuable,  but  does  not  cover  the, 
field  of  American  slang. 

No  English  work  has  so  much  as  touched  upon 
the  great  store-house  of  native  American  slang, 
which  has  been  born  of  our  development  and  was 
made  necessary  by  our  novel  conditions.  Hotten 
quotes  "rumbumptious,"  "abskuze,"  "catawamp- 
iously,"  and  "exfluncify"  as  samples  of  American 
slang  in  ordinary  daily  use.  These  are  about  on  a 
par  with  the  names  invented  in  London  and  Paris 
for  the  so-called  "American  drinks" — the  "corpse 
reviver,"  the  "nigger-girl's  smile"  and  the  "Pride  of 


Columbia."  No  man  living  in  the  United  States 
ever  heard  of  the  one  or  drank  of  the  other,  or  if  he 
did  he  never  lived  to  tell  the  story. 

The  same  authorities  who  quote  these  unheard-of 
atrocities  as  representative  Americanisms  have  failed 
in  their  researches  to  run  across  the  words  "boom' 
or  "bonanza"  or  "boodle"  now  in  common  use' 
here.  They  dignify  their  dandies  as  "swells"  but 
never  heard  of  our  "dudes"  although  curiously 
enough  the  last  term  is  simply  the  old  gipsy  word 
for  clothes,  now  corrupted  into  "duds."  English 
writers  apparently  never  heard  of  "striking  oil;"  of 
a  "journey  up  Salt  River;"  of  a  man  being  "in  the 
soup"  or  of  a  more  lucky  individual  "making  a  ten- 
strike." 

Without  multiplying  instances  it  may  then  be 
claimed  that  a  Slang  Dictionary  which  shall  embody 
within  its  covers  the  accepted  slang  of  daily  use  in 
both  the  United  States  and  Great  Britain  will  be  a 
useful  book.  In  preparing  such  a  work  it  was 
necessary  to  eliminate  obsolete  words  and  phrases. 
The  Elizabethan  dramatists  bristle  with  the  slang  of 
a  by-gone  age,  but  it  has  been  forgotten  both  in 
England  and  in  this  country.  Much  of  the  Gipsy 
cant  is  unintelligible  and  obsolete.  The  rubbishing 
back  slang  of  the  London  school  boy  is  not  worth 
mention.     When  you   know  that  a  girl  is  a  "Irig" 


and  a  boy  is  a  "yob"  then  you  know  all  there  is  to 
that. 

The  rhyming  slang  which  speaks  of  rain  as  "Mary 
Jane"  or  "alecampane"  indifferently  is  of  no  possible 
interest.  As  to  the  so  called  "Medical  Greek,"  of 
which  Albert  Smith  gave  us  some  examples  in  his 
amusing  novels,  its  distinguishing  characteristic  is 
that  a  "stint  of  pout"  means  a  pint  of  stout,  and  that 
you  "poke  a  smipe"  instead  of  smoking  a  pipe.  The 
alleged  wit  of  the  American  newspaper  humorist 
who  evolves  the  "saccharine  subsequently"  as  a  varia- 
tion on  the  "sweet  by-and-by"  is  of  the  same  high 
order  and  we  want  none  of  it.  For  the  omission 
of  the  indecent  phrases  which  disfigure  so  many 
books  upon  slang  no  apology  is  needed. 

Itjias  been  attempted  in  this_.coJQ£jQi|on_to^  include 
what  may  be  termed  the  slang  of  the  Anglo-Saxon, 
whether  he  dwell  in  London  or  New  York,  in 
Chicago  or  Sydney.  The  compilation  has  been  the 
work  of  years,  the  information  has  been  derived 
from  books  of  all  sorts  and  men  of  all  classes,  and 
the  work  is  offered  as  an  honestly-meant  and  pains- 
taking contribution  to  the  literature  of  slang.  So 
far  as  practicable  the  derivations  of  words  and  the 
country  of  their  nativity  have  been  given.  But  in 
dealing  with  slang  the  philologist  has  small  oppor- 
tunity, for   many  of  the   brightest  and  strongest  ex- 


pressions  are  destitute  of  known  parentage.  It  is 
to  gather  together  under  one  roof  these  foundHngs, 
such  of  them  at  least  as  have  proven  themselves 
worthy  to  live,  that  the  present  asylum  has  been 
provided. 

James  Maitland. 


The  abbreviations  in  brackets  signify  the  original 
source  of  the  word  as  (Eng.)  England;  (Fr.) 
France;  (Ger.)  Germany;  (Gip.)  Gipsy;  (Hind.) 
Hindu;  (Am.)  American;  (Sp.)  Spanish;  (P.  R.) 
prize  ring,  etc. 


THE 

AMERICAN   SLANG   DICTIONARY. 


A.  B.,  able  seaman. 

Abaft  (sea  term),  the  rear  part  of  a  ship's  deck.  From 
Aft,  the  after  part. 

Abeam  (sea  term),  used  to  express  the  position  of  an  object 
as  seen  from  a  ship. 

Abide  (Eng.),  to  suffer.     "I  cannot  abide  him." 

Abigail  (Eng.),  a  lady's  maid.  Said  to  be  from  the  name 
of  Mrs.  Masham  (Abigail  Hill), who,  as  lady-in-waiting  to 
Queen  Anne,  distinguished  herself  as  a  mistress  of  intrigue. 

Aboard  (Am.)  "All  aboard"  is  used  on  American  railways 
as  a  direction  to  passengers. 

Aboon  (Scotch),  above. 

About  right.  "To  give  it  to  one  about  right"  is  to  give  it 
to  him  well;  thoroughly. 

Above  one's  bend  (Am.),  beyond  one's  power.  See  Too 
HIGH  FOR  HIS  NUT.  Shakespeare  makes  Hamlet  say, 
"They  fool  me  to  the  top  of  my  bent." 

Above  par.  Stocks  issued  nominally  at  loo  sometimes  com- 
mand a  premium  and  are  then  above  par.  The  expression 
has  been  extended  to  other  articles  and  means  something 
superior  or  beyond  the  ordinary. 

Above  snalces  (Am.),  tall. 


14  ABR— ADM 

Abraham-man  (Old  Eng.),  a  vagabond;  one  who  obtains 
money  by  shamming  sickness.  It  was  at  onfe  time  the 
practice  to  allow  the  inmates  of  the  Abraham  Ward  of 
Bethlehem  Hospital  (Bedlam),  London,  to  go  out  begging 
fcr  the  benefit  of  the  hospital.  Certain  vagrants  imposed 
on  the  charitable  by  pretending  to  be  actual  inmates,  and 
were  therefore  known  as  Abram-men  or  Sham  Abra- 
ham (^.  V.) 

Absquatulate  (Am.),  to  run  away.  Equivalent  to  Ske- 
daddle or  Vamose,  (^.  v.) 

According  to  Gunter  (Am.)  Anything  thus  done  is  done 
according  to  rule.  Gunter,  who  lived  in  early  colonial 
times,  was  the  inventor  of  the  measuring  chain  named  after 
him,  and  of  a  slide-rule  for  gauging  casks,  which  was 
adopted  as  the  lawful  measure.  In  England  the  equivalent 
is  "According  to  Cocker,"  who  was  a  famous  mathemati- 
cian and  author  of  a  text-book  on  Arithmetic.  Every 
card-player  knows  the  expression,  "According  to  Hoyle," 
supreme  authority  on  games  of  chance. 

Account,  of  some  value.     See  No  Account. 
Acknowledge  the  corn  (Am.),  to  own  up;  to  confess. 
Across  lots  (Am.),  the    most    direct    way;    quicker   than 

going  around  by  the  road. 
Adam's  Ale  (Eng.),  water, 
Adam's  Wine  (Scotch),  water. 
Added  to  the  list   (Eng.),   a    euphemism    current    among 

sporting  writers,  implying  that  a  horse  has  been   added 

to  the  list  of  geldings. 
Addlepate  (Eng,),  a  foolish  person. 
Ad:2niral  of  the  Red   (Eng.),   one  whose   rubicund   nose 

shows  his  fondness  for  strong  potations. 
Admire  (Am.),  is  used  by  New  Englanders  in  the  sense  of 

"wish."     "I  should  admire  to  meet  Mr.  Jones."    Macbeth'' s 

banquet  broke  up  "with  most  admired  disorder,"  and  the 


ADO— ALD  15 

word  is  still  used  to  express  surprise  or  wonder. 
Adobe  (Span.)     Houses  and  walls  in  Arizona,  New  Mexico 

and  other  territories  are  built  of  adobe,  otherwise  sun-dried 

mud. 
Afeard  (Old  Eng.),  afraid.     See  Macbeth^  "What,  a  soldier 

and  afeard!" 
Afoot  or  on  horseback  (  Am. )    When  a  man  does  not  know 

whether  he  is  the  one  or  the  other,  he  is  all  abroad,  or  all 

broke  up. 
Afternoon    farmer  (Eng.),  one  who  puts  off  his  work  to 

the  latest  moment. 
Against  the  grrain,   contrary;  in  opposition  to  one's  wish; 

analogy  drawn  from  the  operations  of  the  carpenter  or 

wood-worker. 

Age,  or  Edge  (Am.),  in  the  game  of  poker.  The  player 
next  to  the  dealer  holds  the  "age"  and  is  not  compelled  to 
bet  until  all  the  players  have  signified  their  intentions. 

Aggrravators(Eng.),otherwise  Newgate  Knockers  (^.  z^.), 
are  greasy  locks  of  hair  twisted  back  from  the  temples,  and 
much  affected  by  London  costermongers  and  thieves. 

Agnardiente  (Span.),  a  vile  species  of  distilled  liquor,  com- 
mon in  Mexico. 

Ahead,  forward ;  in  advance.  "Go-ahead,"  move  on.  "To 
get  ahead  of,"  to  defeat. 

Airy,  conceited. 

Akeybo  (Eng,),  a  phrase  used  as  follows:  "He  beats 
Akeybo  and  Akeybo  beats  the  devil."  See  Beats  the 
Dutch. 

Albany  Regency  (Am.),  the  cabal  of  politicians  who  some 
forty  years  ago  controlled  the  State  politics  of  New  York 
from  Albany,  and  who  cut  a  considerable  figure  in  national 
politics  as  well. 

Alderman  (Eng.),  a  half  crown.  Also  a  long  clay  pipe, 
otherwise  known  as  a  Churchwarden  {<j.  v.") 


i6  ALD— ALL 

Alderman  (Eng.),  a  large  crowbar  used  by  burglars. 

Alderman  in  chains  (Eng.),  a  turkey  festooned  with  sau- 
sages. 

All  any  more  (Am.),  a  provincialism  for  all  gone. 

Alley,  a  large  marble  used  by  boys  at  play.  Agate  is  a 
glass  marble. 

All-fired  (Am,),  a  mild  form  of  adjuration,  probably  a  Pur- 
itan modification  of  hell-fired. 

All  hollow  (Am.  ),  to  beat  one  "all  hollow"  is  to  knock  him 
out  entirely. 

All  in  the  Downs  (Eng.),  miserable;  dull.  In  the  days  of 
sailing  ships  whole  fleets  were  often  becalmed  in  the  Downs 
off  the  south-east  coast  of  England.  The  sailors  did  not 
take  kindly  to  a  period  of  enforced  inactivity,  and  were 
miserable  accordingly. 

All  my  eye  (Eng.),  an  expression  of  incredulity.  Some- 
times "All  my  eye  and  Betty  Martin."  Said  to  be  a  cor- 
ruption of  an  old-time  invocation  of  St.  Martin  of  Tours, 
*'Oh,  mihi  beate  Martine." 

All  our  side  (Eng.),  an  expression  of  gratification  over  the 
success  of  a  school  nine  or  a  local  sport. 

All  out  (Old  Eng.),  by  far.  "He  was  all  out  the  best  of  the 
lot."     See  Burton,  Anatomy  of  Melancholy. 

All  overish  (Eng.),  feeling  unwell;  the  premonition  of 
sickness. 

Allow  (Am.),  is  used  in  the  United  States  in  the  sense  of 
intend  or  expect,  or  even  of  believe.  "I  allow  to  go  to 
town,"  or  "We  allowed  you  would  be  here  "  are  common 
instances.  In  the  ballad  of  "Banty  Tim"  Tilman  Joy  says: 
"  I  come  back  here  allowin'  to  vote  as  I  used  to  do." 

All-possessed  (Am.),  affected  by  evil  spirits  and  carrying 
on  accordingly.    "Swearing  like  all-possessed." 

All  serene  (Eng.),  one  of  the  many  bits  of  street  slang 
which    had  a   brief    run  some  years  ago.     It   bore  no 


ALL— ANA  17 

meaning,  and  was  applied  indifferently,  on  all  occasions. 
All  sorts,   the  drippings  of  glasses  in  saloons,  collected  and 

made  to  do  duty,  after  a  fashion,  for  drinkers  who  are  not 

too  particular  so  long  as  the  stuff  is  cheap. 
All  sorts  of  a  man  (Am.),  a  complimentary  term  equivalent 

to  out-and-out;  cute,  clever. 
All  the  go,  anything  on  which  there  is  a  great  run,  whether 

it  be  a  new  book  or  a  new  style  of   neck-tie.      See   All 

THE  RAGE. 

All  the  rage,  successful ;  in  great  demand.  Equivalent  to 
"All  the  go." 

All  there  (Eng.),  first  rate,  or  "up  to  the  mark."  May  be 
said  of  a  well-dressed  woman  or  of  a  fine  horse,  but  is 
always  used  as  a  term  of  approval.  Superlatively  it  is 
rendered  "all  there  and  a  ha'porth  over." 

All  to  pieces  (Eng.),  broken  up.  A  term  much  in  use 
among  sporting  men  to  express  a  break-down  by  a  horse 
or  a  boat's  crew  in  a  race. 

All  to  siuash  (Eng.),  ruined;  bankrupt;  gone  beyond  re- 
demption. 

All  wool  and  a  yard  wide  (Am.),  first-class;  genuine. 

Almighty  Dollar  (Am.),  supposed  to  have  been  introduced 
by  Washington  Irving,  but  really  much  older.  It  repre- 
sents the  manner  in  which  money  rules.  Ben  Jonson 
speaks  of  "almighty  gold." 

Ambition  (Am.),  is  sometimes  used  instead  of  grudge,  or 
spite;  as,  "I  had  an  ambition  against  hira." 

Ambitious  (Am.),  may  mean  angry  or  spiteful,  and  in  New 
England  signifies  industrious,  business-like,  energetic. 

Among  the  missing  (Am.),  dead,  absent. 

Amort  (Old  Eng.),  dead;  dejected.  "What, sweetheart,  all 
amort?" — Taming  of  the  Shrew. 

Anan,  an  English  provincialism  for  "How?"  or  "What  did 
you  say  ?"     Scarcely  ever  heard  now-a-days. 


/ 


i8  ANE— APP 

Anent  (Scotch),  pertaining  to,  or   about.     A   good   word, 

and  often  used  in  this  country  by  writers. 
Angel  (Am.),  one  who  possesses  the  means  and  incHnation 

to  "stand  treat." 
Anointed  (Irish),  superlative,  as  "an  anointed  scoundrel"; 

one  pre-eminent  among  his  class  and  deserving  anointment 

as  much  as  any  other  monarch. 
Anointing'  (Irish),  a  beating,  especially  one  severe  enough 

to  call  for  the  application  of  ointment. 

Anonyma  (Eng.),  a  euphemism  for  a  woman  of  the  demi- 
monde. Incognita  is  also  used  for  the  same  product 
of  civilization. 

Ante  (Am.)  In  the  game  of  poker  the  player  next  to  the 
dealer  deposits  a  "chip"  of  an  agreed  value  in  the  pool  be- 
fore the  cards  are  dealt.  This  is  his  ante,  and  the  remain- 
ing players  must  also  ante  up  if  they  conclude  to  play. 

Ante-up  (Am.),  to  pay. 

Antic  (Old  Eng.),  a  fool. 

Anxious  seat,  in  the  slang  of  the  conventicle,  a  seat  occupied 
by  those  who  are  "under  conviction"  but  have  not  yet 
"found  peace."  Otherwise  known  as  the  Mourner's 
Bench. 

A 1,  first-rate.  Derived  from  the  rating  of  ships  at  Lloyd's, 
and  used  in  insurance  business. 

Apartments  to  let  (Eng.),  said  in  reference  to  one  with  a 
vacancy  where  his  brains  should  be.  "Got  a  tile  off,"  or 
"rooms  to  rent  in  the  top  story,"  or  "attic  to  let  unfur- 
nished" are  equivalents. 

Apple-cart  (Eng.)  "To  upset  one's  apple-cart"  is  to  knock 
him  over. 

Apple-jack,  apple  brandy. 

Apple-pie  (Engo),  in  good  order. 

Appro  (Eng,),    a    contraction    of    approbation.      English 


ARA— ATT 


'9 


jewelers  often  sell  goods  "on  appro,"  i.  e.,  *«on  sale  or 

return." 
Arab.    Street  Arabs  are  the  gutter-snipes,  boot-blacks,  news- 
boys and  Gamins  generally. 
Area  Sueak  (Eng.),  a  thief  who  gains  admittance  to  kitchens 

by  means  of  the  area  or  outside  court  of  the  basement. 
Argol-bargol  ( Scotch),  to  dispute ;  to  bandy  words. 
Argot,  the  French  term  for  slang,  in  which  the  language  is 

very  rich. 
Argufy,  a  vulgarism  for  "to  argue;"  common  in  England, 

less  known  here. 
Arkansas  Toothpick  (Am.),  a  bowie-knife. 
Aries  (  Scotch),  earnest  money ;  something  to  bind  a  bargain. 
Arrastra  ( Span.),  a  primitive  mill  for  pulverizing  ore. 
Arroyo  (Span.),  a  small  river  or  the  dry  bed   of  a  stream. 

A  ravine  caused  by  the  action  of  water. 
Ashepat,  the  Irish  equivalent  for  Cinderella. 
Astern  of  tlie  lighter,  behind  hand. 

At  is  used  in  a  very  curious  way  in  some  parts  of  the  United 
States,  as  "Where  are  you  going  at?" 

At  has  another  peculiar  meaning,  both  in  this  country  and  in 
England.  The  English  costermonger  thrashes  his  wife 
because  she  is  "always  at  him;"  and  "keeping  at"  a  man 
is  a  method  of  getting  him  to  do  something  not  unknown 
on  this  side  the  Atlantic. 

Athwart  (sea  term),  across;  as,  "athwart  our  hawse." 

Atomy  (Old  Eng.),  used  in  contempt  of  a  small  person. 
See  Shakespeare's  //.  King-  Henry  IV..,  v.  4. 

Attic,  the  head.     "Queer  in  the  attic,"  weak-minded. 

Attic,  the  upper  story  of  a  building.  Dr.  Johnson  so  de- 
fined it,  and  in  the  same  dictionary  rendered  "cock-loft"  as 
"a  room  above  the  attic." 

Attic  Salt,  wit. 


^' 


20  AUG— AXL 

Auctioneer  (Eng.)  To  "tip  him  the  auctioneer"  is  to  knock 
a  man  down. 

Auld  Reekie  (Scotch),  the  city  of  Edinburgh,  from  its 
smoky  appearance. 

Aunty  (Am.),  a  common  term  for  an  old  negress. 

Avast  (sea  slang),  go  away;  shut  up;  stop. 

Awake,  or  Wide-awake,  knowing,  understanding,  or  in 
other  words.  Fly,  (^.  v.) 

Awful,  a  useful  adjective  in  its  proper  place,  but  used  by  all 
classes  of  English  society  in  a  very  ridiculous  fashion :  "an 
awful  fine  woman" ;  "awfully  jolly" ;  "awful  glad". 

Ax,  to  ask.     A  great  favorite  of  the  true-born  cockney. 

Axe  to  grind.  One  who  takes  a  lively  interest  in  some  mat- 
ter not  directly  concerning  him,  is  sometimes  suspected  of 
having  an  axe  to  grind ;  z.  c,  of  having  purposes  of  his 
own  to  serve. 

Axle-grease,  money;  especially  that  used  for  purposes  of 
bribery. 


B 


Babes,  a  name  given  to  Baltimore  rowdies. 
Baby,  a  prostitute's  lover,  or  "fancy  man." 
Baby  act,  "to  plead  the" ;  to  plead  infancy  as  a  defense  to  a 

suit  at  law.     Otherwise  to  beg  off  on  the  ground  of  youth 

or  inexperience;  to  weaken. 
Bach  or  Batch,  young  men  living   alone  and   doing  their 

own  cooking  and  cleaning  are  said  to  "batch  it";  abbrevia- 
tion of  bachelor. 
Back  (Eng.),  to  bet  that  a  horse  will  win.     To  lay  (j-.  v.) 

is  to  bet  against  the  horse. 
Back   (Eng.),  to  indorse   a  note;    otherwise  "to  get  up 

behind." 
Backbone  (Am.),  grit,  sand,  courage,  moral  stamina. 
Back  (Eng.),  "to  get  one's  back  up,"  to  become  angry  and 

ready  to  fight,  as  a  cat  arches  its  back  when  enraged. 
Backcap  (Am.),  to  do  one  an  ill-turn  by  speaking  evil  of 

him  or  carrying  tales,  or  otherwise  to  "spoil  his  game." 
Back  country  (Am.)     See  Backwoods. 
Back-down  (Am.)     See  Back  out. 
Back-end  (Eng.),  that  portion  of  the  racing  year  after  the 

close  of  the  season  proper,  and  when   only   minor  races 

remain  to  be  run. 
Back-bander  (Eng.),  a  blow  on  the  face  with  the  back  of 

the  hand.     Also  to  drink  out  of  turn,  or  anything  done 

secretly  and  in  an  underhand  way. 

Backer"(Eng.),  one  who  backs  a  horse  to  win. 

Backing  and  filling,  like  "backing  water,"  is  a  metaphor 

ai 


22  BAG— BAD 

drawn  from  nautical  use.  It  means  indecision;  shilly- 
shallying. 

Backlog-  (Am.),  a  large  log  used  in  old  fire-places  where 
wood  is  burned.     It  serves  to  support  the  other  fuel. 

Back-out  or  Back-down,  to  surrender. 

Back  seat  (Am.),  an  inferior  position.  Making  a  man  take 
a  back  seat  is  setting  him  back ;  taking  him  down. 

Backset,  a  check. 

Backshish,  or  Bucksheesh,  the  Eastern  equivalent  of  the 
French  pour-boire  or  the  English  Tip  (^.  v.) 

Back  talk  (Am.),  an  impertinent  answer. 

Back  track  (Am.)     "To  take  the  back  track"  is  to  retreat. 

Backwater  (Am.),  to  retreat,  to  abandon  an  undertaking. 

Backwoods  (Am.),  the  uncleared  timber  country  of  the 
West;  the  confines  of  civilization.  Termed  also  Back 
COUNTRY  or  Back  settlements,  as  lying  back  from  the 
earlier  settled  Atlantic  seaboard. 

Bacon  (Eng.)  "To  save  one's  bacon,"  to  escape  from  a  diffi- 
culty. 

Bad,  "to  go  to  the,"  to  be  ruined. 

Bad,  very  much  used  instead  of  badly.     "He  wants  it  bad." 

Bad  cess  to  you  (Irish),  may  trouble  come  upon  you.  See 
Bad  Scran. 

Bad  egg-,  a  rascal. 

Bad  form  (Eng.),  anything  incorrect;  a  breach  of  good 
taste  or  good  manners.     See  Form. 

Badger  (Eng,),  to  tease  or  annoy.  Derived  from  drawing 
or  baiting  a  badger. 

Badger  game  (Am.),  a  variety  of  the  Panel  game  {g.  v.) 
A  woman  gets  a  man  in  a  compromising  situation  and  her 
male  accomplices  rob  him  or  extort  money  by  threats. 

Badger  State,  Wisconsin. 


BAD— BAI  33 

Bad  lot  (Eng.),  a  person  of  disreputable  character. 

Bad  man  (Am.),  a  bully  or  bruiser;  a  thief.  "Bad"  is  used 
in  the  sense  of  "hard." 

Bad  medicine  (Am.),  said  of  one  who  is  objectionable  for 
any  reason.  Derived  from  the  Indian  "medicine-man's" 
practice  of  making  good  or  bad  medicine;  that  is,  helpful 
or  harmful  drugs  accordingly  as  he  is  paid. 

Bad  pill,  a  person  of  unenviable  reputation. 

Bad  scran  to  you  (Irish),  may  you  have  poor  food.  See 
Scran. 

Bad  to  beat,  difficult  to  beat:  bad  being  used  in  the  sense  of 
hard. 

Bag"  (Eng.),  to  steal  or  seize.  Equivalent  to  "grab"  or  to 
"collar"  or  to  "hook.'' 

Baggage  (Eng.),  a  term  of  opprobium  applied  to  a  child  or 
a  young  girl. 

Baggage-smasher  (Am.),  a  railroad  porter  or  expressman 
who  takes  a  fiendish  delight  in  damaging  trunks. 

Bagged  (Eng.),  captured;  arrested. 

Bagman,  the  English  equivalent  for  the  American  "drum- 
mer" or  "apostle  of  commerce." 

Bag  of  tricks  (Eng.)  The  whole  of  anything  is  spoken  of 
as  the  "whole  bag  of  tricks." 

Bag  ©f  wind   (Am.),  a  boastful  fellow.     See  Windbag. 

Bags  (Eng.),  trousers.  Those  of  extravagant  or  "loud" 
pattern  are  "howling-bags."  "Kicksies"  is  another  equiva- 
lent for  the  American  "pants,"  articles  which  Dr.  Holmes 
says  are  worn  only  by  "gents." 

Bags  cf  mystery,  sausages. 

JBaU  (Eng,),  the  handle  of  a  bucket  or  pail. 

Bairn  (Scotch),  a  child. 

Baiting  (Am.),  lunch  in  the  harvest-field,  or  a  feed  for  a 
horse  on  the  road. 


24  BAK— BAN 

Baked,  seasoned.    See  Half-baked. 

Baker's  dozen,    thirteen.      The    term    arose    from    the 

practice  of  bakers  giving  one  extra  loaf  in  every  twelve  to 

make  up  for  the  short  w^eight. 
Balaam  (Eng.),  printers'  term  for  standing  matter. 
Balaam-box  (Eng.),  an  equivalent   for  the   waste-box  or 

basket  in  an  editorial  room. 
Bald-beaded  (Am.),  *'to  go  it,"  is  to  rush  things  in  a  lively- 
style. 
Bale  up  or  Bail  up,  an  Australian    term  equivalent  to  the 

English  "shell  out"  or  the  Western  "hold  up  your  hands." 
Balk  or  Baulk  (Am.),  where  a  horse  refuses  to  go  or  to 

draw  a  vehicle.     In  England  a  balky  horse  is  now  known 

as   a   "jibber,"  although   the   other   term   was   originally 

English. 
Ballast  (Eng.),  money.     A  rich  man  is  well  ballasted.     A 

drunken  man  has  too  much  ballast  on  board. 
Balmy  (Eng.),  sleep.     One  of  Dick  Stviveller* s  pet  phrases. 

Probaoly    from   "Tired    Nature's   sweet    restorer,   balmy 

sleep." 
Bamboozle  (Gip.),  to  delude  or  cheat;  sometimes  used  as  a 

noun  in  the  sense  of  a  deception  or  *'sell." 
Banagher,  "that  bangs  Banagher  and  Banagher  beats  the 

devil."     An    Irish   expression    similar    to   "That  beats 

THE  Dutch"  (^.  t>.) 
Bandanna,  (Eng.),  a  handkerchief. 
Banded  (Eng.),  hungry.     From  the   practice    of   tying   a 

strap  or  band  around  the  middle  or  taking  up  a  hole  in  the 

waist-strap  when  hungry. 
Bandy  (Eng.),  crippled;  bow-legged.     Applied  to  a  bent 

coin. 
Bangr»  to  explode  with  a  loud  noise. 
Bang,  a  fringe  of  hair  on  the  forehead. 


BAN— BAR  as 

Bang:,  to  excel;  also  to  thrash. 

Bangfiugr,  a  thrashing. 

Bang-up  (Eng.),  first-rate;  otherwise  "slap-up;"  or  (Am.) 

"bully." 
Bank  (Eng.),  the  extent  of  one's  wealth.     At  hazard  and 

at  other  gambling  games  one  player  takes  the  bank  against 

all  the  others. 
Banlc,  "to  play"  (Am.),  means  to  play  against  the  bank  or 

gambling  house.     Bank  also  means  to  deposit  money  in  a 

bank  or  other  place  of  safety.     To  bank   is   also   to   go 

shares. 
Banker  (Eng.),  a  father.     Otherwise  Relieving  Officer 

{g.  V.) 
Banner,  "carrying  the."     An    artisan   or  mechanic  out  of 

work  is  said  to  be  "carrying  the  banner." 
Banquette  (Fr.),  the  sidewalk.     Used  in  the  South  only. 
Bantam,  a  pert  boy  or  youth. 
Bantam-weig-ht,   the   lightest   at    which    men    can    fight. 

Equivalent  to  Feather-weight  (^.  v.) 
Banter,  a  challenge. 
Bantling  (Old  Eng.),  a  child.     Probably  from  an  infant  in 

"bands  '  or  swaddling-clothes. 
Banyan  day  (sea  slang),  a  day  in  which  no  meat  is  served 

as  rations. 
Bar  (Eng.),  in  betting  language,  to  except.     "Two  to  one, 

bar  one,"  means  that  the  bookmaker  will  lay  such  odds 

against  any  horse  in  a  race  barring  the  favorite. 
Barbecue  (from   the   Spanish),  an  ox  roasted  whole  at  an 

open-air  public  entertainment. 
Barber's  clerk  (Eng.),  an  opprobious  term  for  a  shop-boy 

who  apes  the  manners  and  dress  of  one  of  superior  station. 
Bargain,  a  parcel ;  an  indefinite  quantity  or  number. 
Bargee  (Eng.),  equivalent  to  a  "canaller."     The   English 


26  BAR 

bargee  is  credited  with  a  capacity  for  pugilism  and  bad 
language  which  often  gets  him  into  a  row  with  the  colle- 
gians of  Oxford  and  Cambridge. 

Barker  (Eng.),  a  man  employed  at  the  doors  of  cheap 
shows  and  hand-me-down  clothing  stores.  Equivalent  to 
the  American  Capper  or  Steerer  (^.  v.) 

Barkers  or  Barking-irons  (Eng.),  pistols. 

Barking  up  the  wrong  tree  (Am.).  A  man  is  said  to  do 
this  when  his  suspicions  point  in  the  wrong  direction. 
When  out  'coon-hunting  the  dogs  sometimes  make  a  mis- 
take of  this  kind. 

Barnacles  (Eng.),  spectacles.  Possibly  from  binoculars. 
Blinkers  (g.  v.)  is  an  equivalent. 

Barnburners  (Am.),  a  political  party  which  existed  in  New 
York  some  fifty  years  ago.  They  represented  the  young 
Democracy,  and  from  their  desire  for  reform  at  all  costs 
were  compared  with  the  farmer  who  burned  down  his 
barn  to  get  rid  of  the  rats.  Their  opponents  were  known 
as  Hunkers  (^.  v.) 

Barney  (Eng.),  a  lark  or  jollification.  Also  a  crooked  race 
or  prize-fight;  a  "sell"  or  "cross." 

Barn-stormers  (Eng.),  traveling  theatrical  performers  who 
play  when  and  where  they  can. 

Barracoon  (Sp.),  a  slave-pen  or  enclosure. 

Barrel  (Am.),  at  election  time  candidates  are  currently  re- 
ported to  "open  a  barrel,"  presumably  containing  dollars, 
for  the  benefit  of  their  henchmen  and  supporters.  Mr. 
Tilden  in  1876  was  charged  with  opening  a  very  large 
barrel,  the  first  time  the  word  was  thus  used. 

Barrel  (Eng.),  the  stomach. 

Barrens  (Am.),  patches  of  poor  soil  fit  only  for  growing 
small  timber,  as  pine  or  oak. 

Barrikin  (Gip.),  jargon,  speech. 


BAS— BAW  37 

Bash  (Eng.  or  Gipsy),  to  beat.  Probably  from  the  old 
word  "bashing,"  to  beat  a  walnut  tree  with  long  poles. 
"Bashing  a  dona"  is  beating  a  woman.  Bashing  is  also 
applied  by  criminals  to  prison  floggings. 

Baste  (Eng.),  to  beat. 
Bastiug-  (Eng.),  a  beating. 

Bastile  (Eng.),  abbreviated  to"  Steel  ",  is  a  generic  term  for 
a  prison  or  workhouse. 

Bat  (Am.),  "to  bat  the  eyes"  is  to  wink. 

Bat  (Am.),  «  on  a  bat,"  on  a  drunk. 

Bat,  to  strike ;  "  to  bat  a  man  over  the  head." 

Bat  (Eng.),  speed  in  running  or  walking.  "He  went  off  at 
a  good  bat." 

Bat  (Eng.),  "  on  his  own  bat,"  on  his  own  account.  Origi- 
nally a  cricketing  term  where  a  player  scores  so  many  runs 
"  off  his  own  bat,"  or  carries  out  his  bat  at  the  end  of  the 
game. 

Bate  (Old  Eng.),  to  abate  or  allow  a  deduction  from  the 

price  asked. 
Bats  (Eng.),  a  pair  of  dilapidated  boots. 
Batta  (Hindu),  extra  pay  given  to  soldiers  serving  in  India. 
Batter  (Eng.),  wear  and  tear; "on  the  batter,"  on  the  streets 

or  on  the  town. 
Battery  (Am.)    In    base    ball    parlance    the    pitcher    and 

catcher  are  called  the  battery. 
Battery  (Am.),  a  boat  used  for   duck  shooting,   otherwise 

known  as  a  Sink  box  (^.  v.) 
Baudrons  (Scotch),  a  cat.     "Auld  Baudrons  by  the  ingle 

sits.'* — Burns. 
Baulk.     See  Balk  ante. 
Bawcock  (Old   Eng.),  a  fine  fellow.       See  Shakespeare, 

King  Henry  IV, 


28  BAY-BEA 

Bayou  (Am.),  a  stream  running  out  of  instead  of  into  a 
river,  only  possible  in  low,  alluvial  regions. 

Bay  State  (Am.),  Massachusetts. 

Bazoo  (Am,),  "to  blow  one's"  to  boast  or  talk  freely  about 
oneself ;  to  brag.  In  the  "  woolly  West  "  there  are  a  few 
frontier  newspapers  known  as  the  "  Bazoo." 

Beacli  Combers  (sea  term),  sailors  on  the  Pacific  coast. 

Beak  (Eng.  or  Gip.),  a  magistrate.  Ancient  Cant  gives 
Beck,  perhaps  from  the  Saxon  Beag,  a  gold  collar  emble- 
matic of  authority. 

Beak-hunter,  a  poultry  thief ;  derivation  obvious. 

Beam-ends.  A  ship  thrown  over  on  her  side  and  in  distress 
is  on  her  beam-ends,  and  the  term  is  applied  to  a  man  in 
trouble  and  poverty. 

Bean-eaters,  natives  of  Boston,  Mass. 

Beanpole,  a  very  tall  man. 

Beans  (Eng.),  money.  Probably  from  the  French  Biens, 
property. 

Bear  (Eng.),  a  Stock  Exchange  speculator  who  sells  stock 
"  short "  which  he  does  not  possess  and  who  speculates  for 
a  decline.  See  Bull.  The  name  is  probably  derived  from 
the  old  story  about  "  sellix  -y  the  bear's  hide  before  catching 
him,"  which  is  what  the  speculator  for  a  fall  actually  does. 

Bearing^  the  market,  trying  to  depress  prices  by  selling 
large  blocks  of  stock,  gold,  grain  or  other  objects  of  specu- 
lation or  by  disseminating  reports. 

Bear-leader  (Eng.),  a  private  tutor  to  a  young  gentleman. 
As  a  corollary  the  pupil  is  known  as  a  «  cub." 

Bear  State,  Arkansas. 

Bearer-up  (Eng.),  a  "capper"  for  a  gambling  house  or 
mock -auction  shop,  who  encourages  others  to  speculate  by 
playing  or  bidding-up  as  the  case  may  be. 

Beat,  See  Dead-beat. 


BEA— BEE 


29 


Beat,  the  ground  supposed  to  be  traveled  over  by  a  police- 
man on  duty. 

Beater-cases  (Old  Eng.),  boots. 

Beat-hollow,  to  defeat  entirely ;  to  beat  "  out  of  sight "  or 
"  into  fits." 

Beat-out,  tired,  fagged  out. 

Beats  the  Dutch,  something  extraordinary.  «  That  beats 
the  Dutch  and  the  Dutch  beats  the  Devil "  is  the  superla- 
tive. 

Beau  (French),  a  lover  or  sweetheart.  "  To  beau"  is  to 
court  or  gallant  a  girl. 

Beaver  (Eng.),  an  old  term  for  a  top  or  stove-pipe  hat, now 
made  of  silk,  but  formerly  made  of  beaver.  "  Goss," 
"  tile,"  "  thatch,"  "  cady,"  are  a  few  of  the  equivalents. 

Bed-fagot  (Eng.),  a  contemptuous  term  for  a  woman  of  ill- 
fame. 

Bed-post,  "  in  the  twinkling  of,"  in  a  moment  or  very  quickly. 
"  In  three  shakes  of  a  lamb's  tail'  is  analogous. 

Bed-spread  (Am.),  a  quilt  or  counterpane. 

Bed-rock  (Am.),  in  mining  phraseology,  is  the  stratum 
which  underlies  the  mineral-bearing  rock  or  soil. 

Bee  (Am.),  a  craze.  Politicians  occasionally  get  a  Presiden- 
tial "  bee  in  their  bonnet." 

Bee  (Am.),  a  gathering  for  work  and  social  purposes  com- 
bined, such  as  the  old-time  quilting  bee,  apple-paring  bee, 
and  spelling  bee. 

Beef-headed  (Eng.),  stupid  as  an  ox;  dull,  fatheaded. 
Beefy  (Eng.),  thick  or  fat,  when  applied  to  one's  personal 

appearance.     It  also  means  rich,  juicy ,  plenteous ;  such  as 

playing  in  "  beefy  "  luck. 
Beeline  (Am.),  the  straightest  possible   route  to  a  given 


30  BEE— BEN 

point.    A  bee  when  laden  with  honey  makes  a  "  beeline  " 
for  its  hive.     The  English  say,  "as  the  crow  flies." 

Beery  (Eng.),  intoxicated,  bemused  with  beer. 

Beeswax  (Eng.),  poor,  soft  cheese. 

Beetle-crusliers  (Eng.),  large  feet. 

Bej?gar*s  velvet  (Eng.),  the  fluff  or  down  which  accu- 
mulates under  beds  and  other  furniture  where  the  maid  is 
careless.     Otherwise  known  as  "  Slut's  wool." 

Beg^into  (Am.)  An  inferior  article  does  not  "begin  to" 
equal  a  better  one. 

Belcher  (Eng.),  a  blue  bird's  eye  handkerchief.  Otherwise 
a  "FOGLK  "  {^.  v.) 

Beliked  (Am.),  beloved;  liked. 
Bell  (Old  Cant),  a  song. 

Bellows  (Eng.),  the  lungs.  "  Bellows  to  mend  "  means 
"out  or  wind." 

Bellowsed  (Eng.),  transported;    knocked  out  of  wind. 

Belly-timber  (Eng.),  food. 

Belly- veil g-eance  (Eng.),  sour  small  beer  or  cider. 

Bemused  (Eng.),  fuddled  with  beer  or  other  drink. 

Ben,  abbreviation  for  benefit  (theatrical). 

Ben,  abbreviation  for  Benjamin,  an  overcoat. 

Ben  Cull  (Gip.)  a  "pal  "or  companion.     The  Gipsies  use 

^en  or  JSten  for  good. 
Bend  (Am.),  above  one's  bend,  beyond  his  power  or  out  of 

his  reach.     ''  Too  high  for  his  nut"  is  an  equivalent. 

Bender,  an  English  sixpence. 

Bender  (Eng.),  the  arm.    "Over  the  bender  "  see  "Over 

THE  LBFT." 

Bender,  "  On  a  bender,"  on  a  drunk. 


BEN— BET  31 

Bene  (Gip.)  good.   Bonar^  best.    Compare  the  Latin  Bona^ 

Bonum. 
Benedict,  a  married  man.     From  "  Benedick,"  the  husband 

of  "  Beatrice  "  in  Muck  Ado  about  Nothing. 
Benjamin,  or  Upper  Benjamin,  an  overcoat.    Named  after 

a  Jew   tailor    in  London    and   sometimes    known    as    a 

«* Joseph,"   that   being  also  a  common   name   among  the 

ready-made  clothiers  of  that  city. 

Benjy,  diminutive  of  Benjamin,  a  waistcoat. 

Beong  (Gip.),  an  English  shilling. 

Bess  o'  Bedlam  (Old  Eng.),  a  crazy  woman. 

Best  (Am.),  to  beat  a  man  in  a  bargain;  to  defeat  him. 

Best  Licks  (Am.),  to  put  in  one's  best  licks,  is  to  do  the  best 
one  can. 

Better  (Eng.),  more.     «  Better  than  a  mile." 

Better  (Am.),  is  used  to  assert  a  thing  certain,  as  "you'd 
better  believe  it ". 

Betterments,  improvements. 

Bettermost,  the  best. 

Bettings  round,  in  betting  parlance,  means  to  lay  equally 
against  all  horses,  so  that  the  bookmaker  runs  little  risk. 
See  Hedge. 

Betty  (Cant),  a  skeleton  key. 

Between  drinks  (Am.),  a  long  time.  On  one  historical 
occasion  the  Governors  of  the  sovereign  States  of  North 
and  South  Carolina  met  to  discuss  matters  of  State  comity, 
and  the  executive  of  the  one  commonwealth  is  reported  to 
have  said  to  the  other  dignitary  "Governor,  it's  a  long  time 
between  drinks." 

Between  hay  and  grass  (Am.),  taken  from  farm  language, 
a  season  at  which  there  is  nothing  doing  and  nothing  com- 
ing in. 


32  BID— BIL 

Biddable  (Irish),  manageable, obedient. 

Biddy,  an  Irish  woman. 

Big",  "to  talk  big,"  to  boast.  To  "look  big"  is  to  assume  an 
air  of  importance. 

Big-bug,  or  Big- gun  (Am.),  one  who  is,  or  fancies  him- 
self to  be,  a  great  personage. 

Biggest  toad  in  the  puddle  (Am.),  a  consequential  person 
in  a  small  town. 

Big  bead  (Am.),  or  Swelled  bead,  said  of  one  who  has  a 
great  opinion  of  himself. 

Big  wig  (Eng.),  a  person  in  authority  or  office.  Judges 
and  other  high  officers  in  England  wear  wigs. 

Bilbo,  a  sword;  from  Bilboa, atown  in  Spain, where  the  best 
swords  were  made. 

Bilboes  (Old  Eng.),  fetters  or  stocks. 

Biled  owl  (Am.),  "drunk  as  a,"  very  far  gone. 

Biling  (Am.),  the  whole  boiling,  entire  lot. 

Bilk  (Old  Eng.),  to  defraud  or  cheat  by  means  just  outside 
the  laws.     A  Bilk  is  a  swindler. 

Billingsgate  (Eng.),  foul  language,  from  the  common 
speech  of  the  fishwives  of  Billingsgate  market,  London. 

Billy  (Eng.),  a  policeman's  club. 

Billy  (Scotch),  a  silk  pocket  handkerchief. 

Billycock  (Eng.),  a  soft  felt  hat;  a  "wide-awake." 

Billy-fencer  (Eng.),  a  marine  store  dealer,  or  dealer  in  old 
junk  and  metal.  Stolen  metal  of  any  kind  is  known  as 
Billy. 

Billy  Patterson,  "who  struck,"  a  question  no  nearer  an 
answer  now  than  when  it  was  first  propounded  by  a  negro 
minstrel,  who  offered  a  pecuniary  reward  for  the  man  who 
"struck  his  brother  Bill."  It  ranks  with  the  "song  the 
siren  sang"  and  the  name  which  Achilles  took  when  he 
dwelt  among  women  as  a  mystery  unsolved. 


BIN— BIT 


33 


Bin,  for  been ;  "With  everything  that  pretty  bin  my  lady 
sweet  arise."  This  is  the  Old  English  form  of  been,  has 
the  authority  of  Dryden,  Jonson,  and  Herrick,  and  in  our 
own  day  of  Whittier.  Byron  also  used  it,  but  quotes  it. 
The  New  Englander  pronounces  it  "ben." 

Bin^  (Gip.),  Look  out: 

Bing  out,  bien  Morts  and  toure  and  toure 

Bing  out,  bien  Morts  and  toure. 
For  all  your  duds  are  binged  avast 

The  bien  cove  hath  the  loure."  Old  Gipsy  sottg. 

Bingro  (Old  Cant),  brandy. 

Bird-cage  (Eng.),  a  four-wheeled  cab.     Also  a  prison. 
Bird  of  Freedom  (Am.),  the  American  Eagle. 
Birthday  suit  (Eng.),  no  clothes  at  all;  same   costume   as 

worn  by  Adam  and  Eve  at  a  very  early  period. 
Bishop  (Eng.),  a  warm  drink  often  mentioned  by  eighteenth 
century  writers,  but  now  out  of  date. 

Bit  (Am.),  12^  cents;  a  short  bit  is  a  dime.  The  Penn- 
sylvanians  speak  of  a  "levy"  for  12^  cents.  In  the  West 
Indies  sixpence,  English  money,  is  a  bit. 

Bit,  "did  his  bit,"  served  his  time  in  prison.  A  prisoner 
sentenced  to  three  months  imprisonment  said  to  the  judge, 
"I  can  do  that  bit  on  my  head." 

Bit  of  blood  (Eng.),  a  horse  of  good  breeding. 

Bit  of  stuff  (Eng.),  a  young  woman.  "Bit  of  calico,"  or 
"bit  of  muslin,"  are  equivalents. 

Bite  (Old  Eng.),  a  cheat,  a  hard  bargain. 

Bite,  to  cheat  or  swindle.  To  "be  bitten"  is  to  be  taken  in 
or  defrauded. 

Bite-faker    (Eng.),  a  counterfeiter. 

Bittock  (Scotch.)  If  you  ask  a  Scotchman  the  distance  to 
any  place,  he  will  reply,  after  asking  you  in  return  where 
you  came  from,  that  it  is  so  many  miles  and  a  bittock.    The 


34  BIV— BLA 

bittock  is  generally  a  trifle  longer  than  the  miles.     See 
Scott,  Heart  of  Mid  Lothian. 
Bivvy  (Eng.),  beer.     A  "shant  of  bivvy"  is  a  quart  of  beer. 
The  derivation  is  doubtless  from  beverage. 

Biz  (Am.),  contraction  of  business. 
Blab  (Eng.),  to  talk  freely;  to  tell. 
Black  (Eng.),  a  nick-name.  Tom  Brown  (see  Tom  Brotvn's 

School  Days),  gave  the  gamekeeper  a  "black"  by  calling 

him  "Velveteens." 

Black  and  white  (Eng.),  hand-writing.  "Let  us  have  it 
in  black  and  white,"  /.  e.,  let  there  be  a  written  contract. 

Black  Diamonds  (Eng.),  coals. 

Black-eye,  "to  give  a,"  is  to  inflict  harm  or  damage  on  any 
scheme. 

Blackguard  (Old  Cant),  a  disreputable  fellow.  To  black- 
guard is  to  abuse. 

Blackleg  (Eng.),  a  rascal  or  swindler;  a  card  cheat.  See 
Leg. 

Blackmail  (Scotch),  money  paid  to  avoid  prosecution  or 
exposure.  Originally  the  "rent"  in  money  or  stock  paid 
by  the  Lowland  Scotch  farmers  to  some  Highland  robber 
chief  or  "cateran,"  on  condition  that  he  protected  them 
against  others  of  his  kind.     See  Scott,  Jiod  Roy, 

Black  Maria  (Eng.),  the  van  in  which  prisoners  are  con- 
veyed to  the  jail  or  bridewell. 

Black  Monday  (Eng.),  the  Monday  on  which  boys  return 
to  school  after  the  holidays. 

Black  sheep  (Eng.),  a  "bad  lot."  In  French,  mauvais 
sujet. 

Black  snake  (Am.),  a  long  whip  of  rawhide. 

Black  strap,  port  wine,  or  a  mixture  of  molasses  and  spirits. 


( 


BLA— BLE  35 

Bladder  of  lard  (Eng.),  a  bald  head. 
Blade  (Eng.),  a  man;   a  "roaring  blade,"  or  a  "knowing 
blade." 

Blamed,  a  New  England  euphemism  for  damned.  In  Eng- 
land they  say  "blarmed." 

Blarney  (Irish),  flattery.  There  is  a  stone  in  Blarney 
Castle,  County  Cork,  and  he  or  she  who  kisses  that  stone 
can  persuade  others  to  believe  anything. 

And  there's  a  stone  there 

Which  whoever  kisses. 
Sure  he  never  misses 

To  grow  eloquent. 
'Tis  he  can  clamber 

To  a  lady's  chamber. 
Or  become  a  member 

Of  Parliament. 

— Father  P routes  Reliques. 

Blanket  Indian  (Am.),  a  semi-civilized  aborigine  who  re- 
ceives blankets  and  rations  from  Uncle  Sam — when  the 
agent  does  not  steal  them. 

Blather  (Irish),  stupid  talk. 

Blatherskite  (Irish),  a  wild  and  foolish  talker  and  boaster; 
a  cheap  orator. 

Blaze  (Am.),  to  mark  trees  with  cuts  by  an  ax  for  the  pur- 
pose of  finding  one's  way.  A  "blaze"  (Eng.),  is  a  white 
mark  on  the  face  of  a  horse  or  cow. 

Blazer,  a  striped  tennis  or  rowing  jacket  of  a  "loud"  pattern. 

Blazes,  the  infernal  regions.  "Like  blazes  I  will"  is  a  com- 
mon English  asseveration.  Sam  Weller  horrified  the  swell 
footman  by  addressing  him  as  "Blazes,"  a  delicate  compli- 
ment to  his  bright  red  livery. 

Bleach,  a  family  washing  hung  out  to  dry. 


36  BLE— BLI 

Bleaching-boards,  the  unsheltered  upper  seats  at  a  base  ball 
match. 

Bleed  (Eng.),  to  victimize  or  extract  money  from  a  person. 
*'To  bleed"  is  to  part  with  money. 

Bleeding',  an  adjective  much  used  in  England;  a  modifica- 
tion of  the  word  "bloody"  in  its  vulgar  sense. 

"The  bloomin'  little  sparrow 

Went  up  the  bleedin'  spout, 
Along  came  the  blasted  rain 

And  washed  the  bleedin'  sparrow  out 

The  blessed  sun  came  out 

And  dried  up  the  blasted  rain, 
And  the  bloomin'  little  sparrow 

Went  up  the  bleedin'  spout  again." 

Slewed  (Eng.),  spent.     "Blewed  it  all  in,"  spent  all  one's 

money. 

Blind  (Am.),  an  arrangement  of  bushes  used  by  duck 
hunters  so  as  to  secure  themselves  from  observation. 

Blind  (Am.),  at  the  game  of  poker  where  the  player  has 
the  privilege  before  seeing  his  hand  of  "going  it  blind," 
that  is  of  taking  the  chances.  In  such  a  case  the  other 
players  must  "see"  his  blind  if  they  want  to  play. 

Blind  (Eng.),  a  pretense,  or  make-believe. 

Blind-drunk  (Eng.),  when  a  man  can  not  see  a  hole  in  a 

ladder. 
Blind-hookey  (Eng.),  a  gambling  game,  otherwise  known 

as  Wilful  Murder. 
Blind  in  both  eyes  (Am.),  eggs  fried  on  both  sides. 
Blindman's  holiday  (Eng.),  twilight. 
Blinker  (Eng.),  the  eye. 
Blinkers  (Eng.),  spectacles. 


BLI— BLO  87 

Blizzard  (Am.),  a  storm  of  wind  and  snow  common  on  the 
northern  prairies.  The  word  has  been  adopted  in  England 
within  the  last  few  years. 

Bloater  (Eng.),  a  herring. 

Block  (Eng.),  the  head. 

Block  (Am.),  a  city  square. 

Block-ornaments  (Eng.),  the  small  trimmings  made  by 
butchers  in  preparing  joints  for  sale,  and  sold  to  the  poor 
at  a  low  price. 

Blocks  of  five  (Am.),  an  expression  introduced  into  Ameri- 
can politics  in  1888,  when  an  Indiana  politician  was  charged 
with  bribing  voters,  whom  he  described  as  "blocks  of  five." 

Bloke  (Eng.),  a  man,  "a  stupid  bloke."  Never  used  in  a 
complimentary  sense. 

Blood  (Eng.),  a  fast  youth. 

Blood-money  (Eng.),  money  received  by  informers  in  crimi- 
nal cases. 

Blood-tubs  (Am.),  roughs,  street-loafers.  The  term  comes 
from  Baltimore. 

Bloody  (Eng.),  a  vulgar  expletive,  used  without  sense  or 
reason,  either  as  an  adjective  or  an  adverb. 

Bloody  shirt  (Am.),  "waving  the."  Calling  up  the  issues 
of  the  late  Civil  War  for  political  purposes. 

Bloomer  (Am.),  a  semi-masculine  costume,  invented  and 
worn  some  thirty  years  ago  by  a  Mrs.  Bloomer. 

Blooming-,  an  adjective  used  in  England  as  an  alternative  for 
"bleedin'  "  etc.  "The  whole  blooming  lot"  means  the  full 
quantity. 

Blow  (Eng.),  to  inform.  "Blow  the  gaff,"  to  give  away 
the  story  of  a  crime. 

Blow  (Am.),  to  brag  or  boast. 

Blow  a  cloud  (Eng.),  to  smoke  a  pipe  or  cigar. 


_..  (=«  .4.  ij  )  1 


38  '   BLO— BLU 

Blowed  (Eng.),  a  mild  and  meaningless  expletive.  Some- 
times "blow  me,"  or  "blow  me  tight." 

If  I've  a  soul  to  give  me  food, 

Or  find  me  in  employ 
By  day  or  night,  why  blow  me  tight, 

He  was  a  vulgar  boy. 

— Ingoldsby  Legends. 

Blonren  (GIp.),  a  girl.  Generally  applied  to  one  of  light 
character.  Byron  uses  it  in  Don  Juan.  A  famous  slang 
song  of  Father  Prout's  reads: 

"As  from  ken  to  ken  I  was  going, 

Doing  a  bit  on  the  prigging  lay — 
Who  should  I  meet  but  a  jolly  blowen, 

Who  was  fly  to  the  time  of  day." 

Blower  (Am.),  a  braggart;  one  who  is  full  of  gasconading 

stories. 
Blowhard  (Am.),  a  boaster. 
Blow  in  (Am.  ),  to  spend  one's  money.     "Jones  blew  in  all 

his  dust  against  the  game"  (faro). 
Blow-out  (Eng.),   a  feast.      Tuck-In    means    the    same. 

Afternoon  teas   are   known  as  "tea-fights,"    or   "muffin- 
worries." 
Blowsalinda,  a  country   girl;  from  a  character  in  an  old 

play. 
Blow  up  (Eng.),  to  scold. 
Blue  (Eng.),  miserable, gloomy. 
Blue-blood  (Eng.),  an   aristocrat.     One  "of    the   caste   of 

Vere  de  Vere." 
Blue-bottle  (Eng.),  a  policeman.  See  II.  King  Kenry  IV.^ 

Act  §.     See   also   Bobby,  Peeler,  Crusher,  Cop   and 

Slop.     The  last  is  back-slang  for  police. 
Blue  devils,   misery.     A  man  with  delirium  tremens  has 

them. 


BLU— BOA  39 

Blue-grass  country  (Am.),  Kentucky. 

Blue  Hen  State  (Am.),  Delaware. 

Blue  Jackets  (Eng.),  seamen  in  the  navy. 

Blue-laws,  a  set  of  rules  or  ordinances  principally  in  regard 
to  Sabbath  observance,  alleged  to  have  been  adopted  in 
Connecticut  in  Puritan  times.  No  such  laws  were  ever 
passed  by  any  legislature  in  this  country,  although  the  Sab- 
batarian laws  of  New  England  were  harsh  enough. 

Blue  moon  (Eng.),  "once  in  a."  An  indefinite  period,  iden- 
tical with  the  Greek  Kalends. 
Blue  noses  (Am.),  natives  of  Nova  Scotia. 
Blue  Peter  (Eng.),  a  signal  for  trumps  at  whist,  made  by 

playing  a  higher  card  unnecessarily  in  place  of  one  of  a 

lower  denomination. 
Blue  pigeon  flyer  (Eng.),  a  plumber  who  strips  lead  from 

roofs  and  sells  it  on  his  own  account. 
Blue  ruin  (Eng.),  gin. 
Blue  stocking  (Eng.),  a  learned  lady.     From  the  French 

Bas-hleu. 
Blues,  got  the,  despondent,  miserable.  See  Blue  Devils, 

ante. 
Bluflf  (Am.),  an  excuse  or  a  brag.     At  the  game  of  poker  a 

man  will  stay  in  the  game  with  a  poor  hand,  and  by  heavy 

betting  will  try  to  "bluff"  the  game  through,  the  other 

players  being  afraid  to  "call"  him. 
Bluffs  (Am.),  hills  of  moderate  size  by  the  side  of  rivers. 
Blnmmies  (Dutch),  wild  flowers. 
Blunt  (Eng.),  money. 

Board  of  green  cloth  (Eng.),  the  gaming  table. 
Boated  (Eng.),  transported,  from  the  prisoners  being  sent 

abroad  in  ships.     Now  applied  to  penal  servitude,  which 

has  replaced  transportation  as  a  punishment. 


40  BOB— BOG 

Bob  (Eng.),  one  shilling. 

Bob  (Am.),  immature  veal,  the  sale  of  which  is  prohibited 

by  law. 
Bob,  "So  help  me."     An  English  euphemism  for  "so  help 

me  God,"  the  usual  oath  in  courts  of  justice. 
Bobbery  (Anglo-Hindu),  a  tumult  or  bother. 
Bobbish  (Eng.),   feeling  well.      A   cockney    will    say  he 

"feels  bobbish." 
Bobby  (Eng.),  a  policeman.    From  the  name  of  Sir  Robert 

Peel,  who  introduced  the  metropolitan  police  force.     See 

also  Peeler. 
Bodewasli  (Am.).  (Fr.  Bois  de  vache;)  Buffalo  Chips, 

{q.  V.) 
Bodkin  (Eng.),  "to  sit."      One  person  sitting  between  two 

others  in  a  carriage  "sits  bodkin." 
Bodle  (Scotch),  a  penny. 
Body-snatcber   (Eng.),  one  who  steals  dead  bodies  for  the 

dissecting   room;  a   resurrectionist.     Also   applied    of  old 

time  to  a  bailiff  or  sheriff's  officer. 

Bogie  (Eng.),  a  ghost  or  apparition;  also  applied  to  his  Sa- 
tanic majesty,  who  is  known  as  "Old  Bogie."  In  Scotland 
a  "bogle"  is  a  mythical  creature  of  evil  appearance  and  dis- 
position.    See  Burns,  Tarn  6*  Shunter, 

Bog  orang-es  (Irish),  potatoes. 

Bogie-engine  (Am.),  a  form  of  locomotive  used  for  work 
in  railroad  yards. 

Bog-trotter,  an  Irishman.  The  term  was  formerly  applied 
to  the  inhabitants  of  the  "debateable  land"  on  the  borders 
of  England  and  Scotland. 

Bogus  (Am.),  imitation,  fraudulent;  as  bogus  titles,  bogus 
degrees,  etc.  Said  to  be  from  the  name  of  an  Italian 
swindler  named  Borghese,  who  pretended  to  be  a  prince, 


BOH— BON  41 

and  who  defrauded  a  great  many  in  the  United  States  some 
fifty  years  ago. 

Bohemian,  a  literary  man,  artist  or  actor,  who  ignores  con- 
ventionalities. The  French  speak  of  the  vie  de  Boheme^ 
and  in  most  European  languages  the  word  has  a  similar 
meaning. 

Boiled  shirt  (Am.),  more  often  "biled";a  white  linen  shirt. 

Boko  (Eng.  P.  R.),  the  nose. 

Bolt  (Eng.),  to  run  away.  Also  to  swallow  without  chew- 
ing. 

Bolt,  in  American  politics,  to  desert  a  political  party  or  con- 
vention. 

Bolus  (Eng.),  an  apothecary  or  a  dose  of  medicine. 

Bonanza  (Sp.),  originally  a  very  rich  mine  or  deposit  of 
precious  metals.  Now  applied  to  any  extremely  well-pay- 
ing business. 

Bona-roba  (Old  Eng.),  a  woman  of  the  town.  Originally 
from  the  Lingua  Franca,  Justice  Shallow  in  King  Henry 
IV.,  boasts  of  his  old-time  acquaintance  with  the  bona- 
robas. 

Bone  (Old  Cant),  to  steal. 

Bone  (Gip.),  good.  From  the  Latin  bonum  or  the  French 
bon. 

Bones  (Eng.),  "made  no  bones  of  it,"  did  it  without  diffi- 
culty; or  without  hesitation. 

Bones  (Am.),  substitutes  for  castanets;  used  by  negro  min- 
strels. 

Bones  (Eng.),  dice. 

Boniface  (Old  Eng.),  the  landlord  of  an  inn. 

Bonnet  (Scotch),  a  cap.  To  Bonnet  a  man  is  to  knock 
his  hat  over  his  eyes. 

Bonnet  or  Bearer-np  (Eng.)     One  who  plays  with  his 


42  BON— BOO 

"pals"  at  some  gambling  game  to  induce  outsiders  to  ven- 
ture their  money.  In  the  United  States  he  is  known  as  a 
Capper  (^.  v.) 

Bonny  (Scotch),  handsome,  fine. 

Boodle  (Am.),  money  obtained  as  a  bribe,  or  in  return  for 
crooked  or  corrupt  work.  The  Commissioners  of  Cook 
County,  111.,  who  awarded  contracts  to  their  friends  for 
valuable  consideration,  and  some  of  whom  were  sent  to  the 
penitentiary,  were  known  as  "boodlers." 

Boo-hoo,  to  cry ;  to  bawl  out. 

Book  (Eng.),  "to  make  a,"  to  bet  against  all  horses  in  a  race. 
Thousands  of  bookmakers  find  a  first-class  living  in  Eng- 
land and  this  country,  thanks  to  the  innate  passion  for 
backing  horses  which  exists  in  the  community.  If  the 
bookmaker  sticks  to  his  business  and  abstains  from  backing 
horses  on  his  own  account  it  is  a  mathematical  certainty 
that  he  will  win,  always  provided  that  he  fills  his  book  in 
accordance  with  the  system  on  which  the  business  is  based. 
In  effect,  he  keeps  a  bank  at  which  others  gamble,  and  he 
gets  the  benefit. 

Booked,  caught;  disposed  of.     Booked  for  a  long  term  (in 

prison.) 
Bookie,  a  bookmaker.     One  who  makes  a  book  on  a  race; 

that  is,  one  who  stands  ready  to  lay  the  odds  against  any  or 

every  horse  in  a  race. 
Books,  a  deck  of  cards,  "the  devil's  picture  book."     See  also 

Papers. 

Boom  (Am.),  a  rush  of  business. 

In  the  lumber  districts  of  the  United  States  logs  are  cut  and  stored 
to  await  the  rise  of  the  river,  [see  Freshet],  and  the  accumulated 
logs  form  a  boom.  When  the  water  rises  to  a  sufficient  height  the 
boom  breaks,  and  the  logs  go  out  "booming."  Western  cities  boom 
and  are  boomed,  politicians  have  booms,  and  real  estate  dealers  boom 
their  property  by  advertising. 


BOO— BOS  43 

Boom  (sea  term.)     "To  top  one's  boom,**  to  start  oflE. 

Boomer  (Am.),  a  recent  invention  to  describe  those  persons 
who,  in  anticipation  of  the  opening  of  Oklahoma  and  other 
territories  to  settlement,  attempted  to  exploit  the  country 
on  their  own  account,  and  who  went  in  with  or  in  advance 
of  the  "boom,"  generally  to  come  back  "broke." 

Boomerangr  (Am.),  a  story  put  forth  for  political  purposes, 
the  untruth  of  which  being  exposed  reacts  against  its  dis- 
seminators.    Practically  the  same  as  a  Roorback,  (^.  v.) 

Boon-companion,  doubtless  from  ion^  good,  a  good  fellow; 
a  comrade  in  a  drinking  bout. 

Boost  (Am.),  to  help  up.  "Give  me  a  boost  up  this  tree," 
says  one  boy  to  another. 

Boot  (Eng.),  a  premium  paid  with  anything  bartered  or  ex- 
changed. 

Boot,  "to  boot  a  man,"  is  to  kick  him. 

Booze  (Old  English,  douse),  to  drink.  Boozy,  drunk. 
Probably  from  the  dutch  buyzen,  to  tipple. 

Boozingr-ken  (Gip.),  a  drinking-house. 

Boozy,  drunk.  Other  equivalents  are  tight,  muzzy,  lushy, 
got  a  jag,  on  a  bender  or  spree,  full  as  a  goose,  or  as  David's 
sow,  or  as  St.  Antony's  pig,  or  as  a  fiddler's  bitch,  tight  as 
bricks,  been  in  the  sun,  and  perhaps  a  hundred  more. 

Bore  (Old  Eng.),  a  troublesome  acquaintance;  one  who 
wearies  and  annoys  you.  Shakespeare  has  it  in  King 
Henry  VIII. 

Bore,  in  the  language  of  the  prize  ring,  is  to  bear  an  oppo- 
nent down  by  superior  weight,  and  thus  force  him  to  the 
ropes.  Used  also  to  express  the  practice  of  jockeys  who  by 
foul  riding  drive  their  competitors  to  the  rails. 

Bosh  (Hindu  and  Gip.),  nonsense;  empty  talk. 

Boss  (Dutch),  an  employer.     The  chief  of  a  political  ring, 


44  BOS— BOU 

as  "Boss"  Tweed  in  the  palmy  days  of  Tammany.  The 
word  is  simply  an  equivalent  for  "master,"  which  latter 
term  goes  not  well  among  our  "fierce  democracy."  To  boss 
is  to  manage. 

Boss-eyed  (Eng.),  one  who  squints;  otherwise  swivel- 
eyed. 

Bossy   ( Am.),  a  calf  or  cow. 

Bother,  Botheration  and  Botheroo,  all  signify  trouble  or 
annoyance. 

Bottle-holder,  the  supporter  of  a  pugilist  in  the  ring,  so- 
called  from  his  having  had  charge  of  the  water-bottle  for 
refreshment  purposes. 

Bottom  (Eng.),  stamina,  pluck.  "Sand"  or  "grit"  are 
equivalents. 

Bottom  dollar  (Am.),  the  last  of  one's  money. 

Bottom  fact  (Am.),  an  undoubted  fact. 

Boughten  (Am.),  that  which  is  purchased,  as  distinguished 
from  articles  home-made  or  home-grown.  Thus  country 
people  speak  of  "boughten  bread,"  "boughten  carpets,"  or 
"boughten  stockings,"  instead  of  home-made  bread,  or 
home-woven  carpets  or  hose. 

Bounce  (Eng.),  impudence,  brag.    See  Cheek. 

Bounce  (Am.),  to  throw  out;  to  fire.  "To  get  the  grand 
bounce,"  is  to  be  discharged  from  work. 

Bouncer  (Am.),  one  hired  in  in  a  saloon,  dive,  or  low  thea- 
tre or  other  place  of  entertainment  for  the  purpose  of  throw- 
ing out  objectionable  visitors. 

Bouncer  (Eng.),  an  extravagant  falsehood. 

Bounceable  (Eng.),  given  to  bragging  and  boasting. 

Bound,  determined,  resolved. 

Bounty-jumper  (Am.)  During  the  late  Civil  War  thous- 
ands of  scoundrels  enlisted  for  the  sake  of  the  bounties 


BOU— BOY  45 

offered  by  States,  municipalities  and  individuals,  and  de- 
serted as  soon  as  they  had  obtained  the  money.  A  few  of 
them  were  punished,  but  the  trade  was  for  a  time  a  profit- 
able one,  as  the  bounties  paid  were  large. 

Bourbon  (Am.),  a  variety  of  whisky  and  a  species  of  Demo- 
crat. 

Bow-catcher  (Eng.),  properly  Beau-catcher,  a  small  curl 
twisted  on  the  cheek  or  temple  of  young  ladies.  The 
French  call  them  accroche  cceurs,  and  in  the  United  States 
they  are  known  as  "spit  curls." 

Bowdlerizing*,  emasculating  a  standard  work  in  order  to  ren- 
der it  "fit  for  the  family  circle."  One  Dr.  Bowdler  many 
years  ago  did  this  with  Shakespeare,  and  thus  "damned 
himself  to  everlasting  fame." 

Bower  (Ger.,  bauer^  knave),  the  knave  of  trumps  at  euchre 
is  the  right  bower;  the  other  knave  of  the  same  color 
(black  or  red  as  it  may  be),  is  the  left  bower.  The  right 
bower  is  the  best  trump,  and  the  left  bower  ranks  the  ace. 
A  man  will  speak  of  his  partner  or  business  assistant  as 
his  "right  bower." 

Bowie  (Am.),  a  knife  invented  and  often  used  by  one  Col. 
Bowie. 

Bowled-out  (Eng.),  beaten.  From  the  game  of  cricket, 
and  now  in  general  use. 

Box  (Am.),  a  boat  used  for  duck-shooting;  a  Sink-boat 
or  KATTERY,  which  see. 

Box-car  (Am.),  a  closed  freight  car. 

Box  coat  (Eng.),  a  heavy  overcoat  worn  by  coachmen. 

Boy  (Am.),  a  negro  servant  of  any  age. 

Boycott  is  a  comparatively  new  word  of  which  the  origin 
is  absolutely  known.  A  certain  Captain  Boycott,  an 
Irish  landowner,  proved  obnoxious  to  the  people  of  his 
district,  and  they  unanimously  resolved  to  have  nothing  to 


46  BRA 

do  with  him.  He  found  it  impossible  to  hire  men  t©  assist 
in  getting  in  the  harvest,  tradesmen  would  not  supply  him 
with  provisions,  and  nobody  would  buy  or  sell  with  him. 
The  English  government  sent  him  assistance,  and  the  case 
became  famous.  The  system  of  "boycotting"  has  been 
adopted  on  a  large  scale  by  trade  organizations.  Thus  if  a 
shop-keeper  sells  goods  made  by  non-union  labor,  the  mem- 
bers of  trade  unions  can  bring  him  to  time  by  refusing 
to  deal  with  him.  The  limit  to  the  capacity  of  this  system 
(which  cuts  in  many  directions),  has  not  yet  been  reached. 
It  is  denounced  by  some  as  conspiracy,  but  is  difficult  to 
reach  by  law.  Meantime  the  word  "Boycott"  has  come  to 
stay. 

Bracelets  (Eng.),  handcuffs. 

Brace  grame  (Am.),  a  swindling  operation. 

Brace  up  (Am.),  pull  yourself  together;  get  to  business. 

Brack  (Old  Eng.),  a  break  or  crack;  a  flaw  in  cloth. 

Brads  (Eng.),  money. 

Brag  (Eng,),  boast.     Also  a  game  of  cards  where  "bluff"  is 

the  cliief  element. 
Brainpan  (Eng.),  the  skull. 
Brakes,  "put  on  the,"  (Am.),  adapted  from  railroad  use; 

means  to  go  slow. 

Branch  (Am.),  a  brook  or  small  stream.   Otherwise  a  Fork 

(gr.v.) 
Brandy  Pawnee  (Anglo-Hindu),  brandy  and  water.     See 

Thackeray,  The  Newcomes, 

Bran  new  (Eng.),  properly  Brand  new;  showing  the  man- 
ufacturer's mark  or  brand. 

Brash    (Am.),  fresh,  impertinent.     It  has  also  the  meaning 

of  brittle. 
Brass  (Eng.),  money.     The  word  is  principally  used  in 


BRA— BRE  47 

Lancashire;  less  often  by  the  London  cockneys,  who  have 
a  hundred  equivalents  of  their  own  for  "the  needful." 

Brass  (Eng.),  impudence.  Brazen  is  applied  to  hard  and 
polished  cheek,  probably  from  the  qualities  of  the  metal. 

Brat  (Old  Eng.),  a  child.      Used  as  a  term  of  opprobrium. 

Brave  (Am.),  an  adult  Indian. 

Braw  (Scotch),  rich,  well-dressed,  fine-looking.  Braws  are 
good  clothes.  "Dirty  braw"  is  the  equivalent  of  the  Eng- 
lish "shabby-genteel." 

Brazen-faced,   impudent. 

Breachy  (Am.),  said  of  unruly  oxen,  such  as  break  down 
fences. 

Bread  basket,  the  stomach,  in  prize  ring  language. 

Break  (Am.),  "a  bad  break;"  a  mistake. 

Breakbone  (Am.),  a  species  of  fever,  otherwise  known  as' 
dengue. 

Breakdown  (Am.),  a  dance,  generally  identified  with  negro 
song  and  dance  performers. 

Breaking  the  ice  (Eng.),  making  a  beginning. 

Breaking:  out  in  a  fresh  place  (Am.),  doing  something 
new  and  unexpected. 

Breaky  leg  (Old  Cant),  drink.  From  the  capacity  of  strong 
potations  to  tangle  up  the  lower  extremities.  See  Tangle- 
foot. 

Breathe  a  prayer,  to  drink. 

Breeches,  **to  wear  the."  Said  of  a  woman  who  usurps 
the  entire  control  of  her  husband's  affairs.  In  such 
cases  the  dame  is  known  as  the  "Grey  Mare,"  or  the 
"White  Sergeant." 

Breeks  (Scotch),  trousers.  An  old  proverb  says  "It's  ill 
taking  the  breeks  off  a  Highlandman,"  the  mountaineers 
wearing  kilts  only. 


4S  BRE— BRO 

Breezy,  noisy,  fresh. 

Brer*,  negro  for  brother.     See  Uncle  Remus  Stories. 

Brick  (Eng.),  a  good  fellow. 

Brick  in  liis  hat  (Am.),  tipsy,  intoxicated. 

Bridge,  a  cheating  trick  at  cards,  where  the  particular  card 
desired  is  curved  by  the  pressure  of  the  hand  so  as  to  make 
the  deck  cut  at  that  point.  The  French  call  the  trick  Faire 
le  pont;  to  make  the  bridge. 

Brief  (Eng.),  a  card  cut  down  for  cheating  purposes.  In 
Old  English,  breef. 

Brief,  a  pawn  ticket,  or  a  raffle  ticket. 

Bring  to,  to  stop  suddenly,  as  a  ship  at  sea  is  brought  to. 

Briny  (Eng.),  the  sea. 

Britisher,  a  native  of  Great  Britain. 

Broad-hrim  (Eng.),  a  Quaker. 

Broad-faker  (Eng.),  a  swindling  card  player;  sometimes 
known  as  a  Broadsman. 

Broads  (Eng.),  cards. 

Broadway  Statue  (Am.),  an  over-dressed  "masher;"  very 
prominent  on  a  New  York  thoroughfare.  The  genus  is 
ubiquitous  and  has  many  aliases. 

Broady  (Eng.),  an  abbreviation  of  broadcloth.  Broady 
WORKERS  are  fellows  who  sell  cloth  goods  of  villainous 
quality  in  the  piece,  pretending  either  that  it  is  the  product 
of  a  bankrupt  sale  or  has  evaded  the  customs,  or  been  "ob- 
tained on  the  cross." 

Brogans  (Irish),  shoes. 

Brogues,  breeches;  from  the  Dutch. 

Broke  (Am.),  ruined,  bankrupt,  out  of  money.  All  broke 
UP  means  either  miserable  or  in  hard  luck  financially. 

Brolly  (Eng.),  an  umbrella. 

Broncho  (Sp.),  a  small  horse  pony,  indigenous  on  the  plains. 


BRO— BUB  49 

Brother  Chip,  Brother  Whip,  etc.,  are  terms  of  familiarity 
among  carpenters,  coachmen  and  others.  "Ditto,  Brother 
Smut,"  is  a  sort  of  tu  quoque  argument. 

Brother  Jonathan  (Am.),  shares  with  Uncle  Sam  the 
dignity  of  being  the  tutelary  genius  of  the  United  States. 
It  is  alleged,  on  insufficient  evidence,  that  Washington  was 
wont  to  say  when  questions  of  importance  came  up,  "We 
must  ask  Brother  Jonathan  about  that,"  referring  to  Jona- 
than Trumbull,  Governor  of  Connecticut,  and  that  the 
phrase  thus  passed  into  use.  Lowell  has  immortalized  it 
by  his  famous  "Jonathan  to  John." 

Broth  of  a  boy  (Irish),  a  good  fellow. 

Brotus  (Am.),  something  given  in  as  make- weight;  the  su- 
perfluity of  a  helping ;  heaped  measure.  The  word  is  used 
in  the  South  exclusively. 

Brown  or  Bronze  (Eng.),  a  half-penny.  See  also  Flatch. 

Brown  (Eng.),  "done  up  brown,"  deceived,  taken  in. 

Brown  study  (Eng.),  a  reverie. 

Brown  to  (Eng.),  to  understand,  to  "tumble"  to. 

Bruiser  (Eng.),  a  pugilist. 

Brummagem,  provincial  pronunciation  of  Birmingham, 
England,  and  probably  approaching  nearer  to  the  old-time 
name  than  the  present  word.  Brummagem  goods  are  imi- 
tation, the  city  being  famous  for  its  production  of  cheap 
jewelry,  etc. 

Brush  (Eng.),  a  journeyman  painter. 

Brush  (Am.),  undergrowth  of  a  forest. 

Brush  (Eng.),  a  fox's  taiL 

Brush  (Eng.),  a  fight  or  scrimmage.  "We  had  a  smart 
brush  with  the  enemy." 

Brush  (Old  Eng.),  to  run  away. 

Bub  or  Bubby  (Old  Cant),  driri^. 


50  BUB— BUF 

Bubble  (Old  Eng.),  to  swindle.  Much  used  by  eighteenth 
century  dramatists  and  novelists.  Bubble  Companies 
are  swindling  associations,  such  as  the  Anglo- Bengalee 
Insurance  Company,  projected  by  Tigg   Montague,  Esq. 

Bubble  and  squeak  (Eng.),  a  dish  of  cold  roast  meat  and 
vegetables  fried  together  in  a  pan. 

Bubbly  Jock  (Scotch),  a  turkey,  from  the  noise  it  makes. 

Buck  (Am.),  an  adult  male  Indian  or  negro. 

Buck,  an  English  sixpence.  "Two  and  a  buck;"  two  shil- 
lings and  sixpence. 

Buck  (Eng.),  a  smart,  dressy  man. 

Buckeye  State,  Ohio. 

Buck  fever  (Am.),  the  feeling  which  overcomes  an  inexpe- 
rienced hunter  when  he  gets  a  shot  at  a  deer. 

Buckle  (Eng.),  to  marry. 

Buckle-begrgrar  (Eng.),  a  hedge-priest;  one  who  stands 
ready  to  perform  a  marriage  ceremony  without  much 
trouble  about  a  license;  generally  an  unfrocked  minister. 

Buckled,  married.     See  Hitched;  also  taken  into  custody. 

Buckle  to,  to  yield,  to  bend,  to  give  in.  Shakespeare  has  it. 
See  also  the  old  ballad,  "  'Twas  within  a  mile  of  Edinboro* 
town." 

Buckra,  a  negro  term  for  a  white  man. 

Bud  (society  slang),  a  young  lady  in  her  first  season. 

Budge  (Eng.),  strong  drink.  Budging  Ken,  a  public 
house. 

Budge  (Eng.),  to  move,  to  go  away. 

Buff  (Eng.),  the  bare  skin.     See  Birthday  Suit,  ante. 

Buff  (Old  Cant),  to  swear  to  or  give  evidence. 

Buffalo    (Am.),  a  robe  or  coat  made  of  buffalo  hide. 

Buffalo  chips  or  Bodewash  (Am.),  the  droppings  of  buf- 
falo; used  formerly  for  fuel  on  the  plains. 


BUF— BUL  51 

Buffalo  wallow  (Am.),  a  sink  or  marshy  place  in  which  the 
buffalo  roll. 

Buffer  (Eng.),  an  old  man;  a  good-humored  term.  «*A 
jolly  old  buffer." 

Buffy  (Eng.),  intoxicated. 

Bugr,  the  common  term  in  the  United  States  for  all  kinds  of 
beetles. 

Bug  juice  (Am.),  whisky. 

Bugrmaster-General  (Am.)  Pet  name  fcr  a  State  Ento- 
mologist or  scientific  man  interested  in  entomology. 

Bug  walk  (Eng.),  a  coarse  term  for  a  bed;  not  always  un- 
deserved. 

Build  (Eng.),  the  make  or  style  of  an  article;  specially  ap- 
plied to  clothing. 

Bull  (Eng.),  a  stock  exchange  speculator  who  "goes  long" 
on  stocks,  trusting  to  a  rising  market.     See  Bear,  ante. 

Bull,  an  English  crown  piece. 

Bull-dogs  or  Barkers  (Eng.),  pistols. 

Bull-dogs  (Eng.),  assistants  to  the  proctors  of  English  uni- 
versities. 

Bulldoze  (Am.),  to  over-awe,  to  terrify,  to  silence  by  threats. 
In  Louisiana,  about  1876,  it  was  alleged  that  the  negroes 
were  "bulldozed"  by  the  whates  to  prevent  them  from  ex- 
ercising the  elective  franchise. 

Bullet  (Eng.),  "to  get  the  bullet,"  to  be  discharged  from 
work. 

Bulls-eye,  in  target  shooting,  is  the  center  of  the  target.  To 
hit  the  bull's  eye  in  the  center  is  to  succeed  in  one's  object. 

Bull*s-eye,  a  large,  old-fashioned  watch. 

Bully,  in  Old  English,  in  which  sense  the  word  is  still,  to  a 
certain  extent,  used  in  this  country;  a  good  fellow,  a  jolly 
companion.     "Bully  for  you,"  and  "that's  bully,"  or  "I  feel 


52  BUL— BUN 

bully,"  are  thus  used.  But  the  word  has  another  meaning, 
a  bully  being  a  low  blackguard,  who  lives  on  women  of 
the  town,  and  thrashes  them  or  others.  A  bully  is  a  brag- 
gart and  a  coward, 

BuUyragr  (Eng.),  to  scold  or  abuse. 

Bull-whacker  (Am.),  a  cow-boy  or  cattle-herder. 

Bum  or  Bummer  (Am.),  a  loafer  or  vagabond,  who  in" 
habits  a  ten-cent  lodging-house,  and  gets  victuals  on  the 
free-lunch  system.      On  the  Bum,  on  a  drunk. 

Bum-boat  (Eng.),  a  shore-boat  which  supplies  sailors  with 
provisions.  In  the  United  States,  a  floating  drink-shop  or 
resort  for  "toughs." 

Bummer  (Am.),  a  tramp  or  loafer.  Bummers  followed  the 
army  during  the  Civil  War.  See  Hans  BreitmarCs  Bal- 
lads. 

Bumper  (Eng.),  full  measure. 

Bumptious  (Eng.),  self-sufficient,  arrogant. 

Bunch  of  fives   (P.  R.),  the  fist. 

Bunco  or  Banco  (Am.),  a  swindle  generally  affected  by  in- 
ducing a  greenhorn  to  play  cards.  The  bunco-steerer  pro- 
fesses an  acquaintance  with  his  victim,  and  usually  two  or 
three  are  implicated  in  the  game. 

Bundle   (Eng.),  to  pack  one  off. 

Bundling  is  a  Welsh  practice,  and  also  prevails,  or  did  until 
lately,  in  some  parts  of  Pennsylvania.  Courting  is  there 
done  in  bed,  the  parties  being  fully  dressed,  to  prevent 
undue  familiarity. 

Bung  (Eng.),  to  close  up. 

Bung  (Eng.),  the  landlord  of  a  public  house. 

Bunk,  a  bed,  cot  or  hammock. 

Bunk  it  (Eng.),  be  off,  decamp. 

Bunker  (Eng.),  beer. 


BUN— BUT  53 

Bnnknm  (Am.),  pretense,  flap-doodle,  gas.  Said  to  be  from 
a  member  of  the  North  Carolina  Legislature,  who  made  a 
flamboyant  speech,  not  with  a  view  of  impressing  his  fel- 
low-legislators, but  for  effect  upon  his  constituents  in  Bun- 
combe County. 

Bupyingr  the  hatchet  (Am.),  ending  a  feud  or  diflficulty. 
The  aborigines  were  said  to  dig  up  the  war  hatchet  when 
going  on  the  war-path  and  to  bury  it  with  certain  solemni- 
ties when  peace  was  attained. 

Bus,  an  omnibus. 

Bush,  in  Australia  means  the  equivalent  of  the  American 
"backwoods."  The  "bush"  is  not  properly  forest,  but 
small,  scrubby  timber  and  shrubs. 

Bushwhackers  (Am.),  during  the  Civil  War  were  a  sort 
of  irregular  cavalry  in  the  South,  analogous  to  the  "bum- 
mers," and  practically  identical  with  the  "Jayhawkers"  of 
that  time. 

Buss,  a  kiss.  Old  English,  no  doubt  derived  from  the  French 
baiser^  to  kiss. 

Bust  or  Burst,  to  tell  tales;  to  split  or  inform. 

Busted  (Am.),  out  of  money ;  broke. 

Buster  (Eng.),  a  spree  or  frolic. 

Buster  (Eng.),  a  small  loaf.  A  still  smaller  one  is  called  a 
"starver." 

Bustle  (Eng.),  money. 

Butcher  (Eng.),  the  king  in  playing  cards. 

Bute  (Am.  ),  abbreviation  of  beauty.     "He's  a  tbute'." 

Butte  (Sp.),  is  the  Western  name  for  small  hills  or  mounds; 
an  alternative  for  bluffs.  The  only  English  equivalent  is 
Knobs. 

Butter,  flattery ;  same  as  "soft  soap,"  "soft  sawder." 

Butter-fingered,  apt  to  let  things  fall ;  one  who  drops  the 
ball  at  base  ball  or  cricket. 

» 


V 


54  BUT— BY 

Butternuts  (Am.),  from  their  home-spun  clothing.  A  term 
applied  during  the  Civil  War  to  Southern  country  people. 

Button  (Eng.),  a  decoy  or  sham  purchaser.  Otherwise 
known  as  a  Bonnet  or  Capper. 

Button-liollngr,  engaging  a  man  in  conversation  when  he 
would  rather  be  about  his  own  business.  From  the  sup- 
posed practice  of  holding  a  button  of  the  victim's  coat  to 
prevent  his  escape. 

Buttons,  the  generic  name  for  a  page  boy  in  England ;  his 
jacket  being  usually  adorned  with  several  rows  of  gilt 
buttons. 

Buttons  (Eng.),  "not  to  have  all  his  buttons," to  be  deficient 
in  intellect. 

Butty  (Eng.),  an  overseer  in  the  mining  district. 

Buz  (Eng.),  to  talk,  to  whisper. 

Buz  (Eng.),  to  pick  pockets. 

Buzzard  dollar  (Am.),  a  term  applied  in  derision  to  the 
silver  dollar,  the  uncomplimentary  allusion  being  to  the 
buzzard-like  eagle  on  the  coin. 

Buzzer  (Eng.),  a  pickpocket. 

By  and  large  (Am.),  on  the  whole;  speaking  generally. 

Byblow  (Eng.),  an  illegitimate  child.     See  Love-Child. 

By  hook  or  by  crook  (Eng.),  by  fair  means  or  foul. 

By  the  skin  of  his  teeth,  although  used  in  the  Bible  (see 
Book  of  Job),  is  certainly  slang,  and  is  used  to  express  a 
narrow  escape. 


Cab  (Eng.),  a  light  carriage  drawn  by  one  horse.  The 
name  is  an  abbreviation  of  the  French  cabriolet.  The 
driver  is  styled  "cabby." 

Cabbage  (Eng.),  cloth  stolen  by  tailors  and  claimed  as  law- 
ful perquisites. 

Cabbagehead  (Eng.),  a  stupid  person. 

Cablegram,  a  message  sent  by  submarine  cable.  This  word, 
like  telegram  and  a  score  of  others,  has  been  coined  in  re- 
cent years  and  is  in  common  use,  although  hardly  to  be 
considered  good  English. 

Caboodle  (Am.),  the  whole  lot. 

Caboose,  the  galley  or  cook-house  of  a  ship.  Used  in  the 
United  States  for  the  car  on  a  train  devoted  to  the  use  of 
the  trainbands. 

Cache(Am.),  to  hide.  This  is  an  old  French  word  intro- 
duced by  hunters  and  trappers  who,  when  hard  pressed  by 
Indians,  would  cache  their  belongings,  that  is,  bury  them. 

Cackle,  to  talk.  A  Cackle-tub  is  a  pulpit,  and  a  Cack- 
ling COVE  is  a  preacher  or  an  actor. 

Cad  (Eng.),  an  omnibus  driver.  In  its  wider  sense  applied 
to  the  objectionable  class  known  as  Snobs  (jp-.  v.) 

Cadge  (Eng.^,  to  beg.  A  whining  beggar  is  a  Cadger. 
"On  the  cadge"  is  applied  to  the  regular  "rounders"  who 
wander  from  town  to  town  telling  in  each  place  a  pitiful 
story  of  distress.  In  Scotland  a  "cadger"  is  an  itinerant 
peddler  of  fish. 


56  CAD— CAM 

Cadgingr,  begging. 
Cady  (Am.),  a  hat. 
Cagre,  a  prison.    Often  Bird-cage.    Lovelace  says: — 

"Stone  walls  do  not  a  prison  make, 
Nor  iron  bars  a  cage." 

Cagmag  (Eng.),  scraps  of  food. 

Cahoots  (Am.),  in  company  with,  or   associated  together 

*'Smith  and  Brown  were  in  cahoots  to  rob  Jones." 
Cain  (Am.),  "to  raise,"  to  create  trouble.     (See  To  raise. 

Ned.) 
Caird  (Scotch),  a  tinker. 
Cake  (Eng.),  a  soft  person,  doughy. 
Cake  is  dough,  said  when  one  makes  a  failure. 
Calaboose  (Sp.),  a  prison. 
Calash,  a  ladies'  head-dress.     Also  a  carriage  with  a  hood. 

From  the  Frenqh  caleche. 
Calculate  (Am.),  an  alternative  for    Guess   or   Reckon 

{q,  V.) 
Calico,  bit  of,  a  girl.    Also  Bit  op  Muslin,  Bit  of  Stuff 

(J-.  V.) 

Call,  occasion.    "He  had  no  call  to  go." 

Call,  an  invitation  to  a  clergyman  to  accept  a  pulpit. 

Calif  on  the  Stock  Exchange,  a  time-bargain  or  speculative 
contract  which  entitles  the  holder  to  call  for  certain  stock 
at  a  certain  price. 

Caller  (Scotch),  fresh,  cool. 

Calumet,  the  Indian  peace  pipe. 

Ca'me,  ca'thee  (Scotch).     In  English,  "Scratch   my  back 

and  I'll  scratch  yours." 
Camesa  or  Mish,  a  shirt  or  chemise.    From  the  Spanish. 

Italian  is  Camicia, 


CAM— CAN  57 

Campaigrn  (Am.),  the  period  antecedent  to  an  election,  dur- 
ing which  the  candidates  take  the  field,  meetings  are  held 
and  speeches  delivered.  The  imagery  of  all  such  contests 
is  taken  from  the  battle-field. 

Canard  (Fr.),  an  unreliable  story. 

Canary,  an  English  sovereign,  from  the  color. 

Candy-Butcher,   an  offensive  nuisance,  who   accompanies 

traveling  circuses,  and  peddles  candy  therein. 
Canister  (P.  R.),  the  head. 
Cannikin  (Old   Eng.),  a  small  can.      See  lago's  song  in 

Othello. 
Canny  (Scotch),  clever,  nice,  neat. 
Canoe  (Am.),  "to  paddle  one's  own,"  is  to  go  it  alone;  to 

make  one's  own  way  in  the  world. 

Canon  (Sp.),  a  narrow  valley  or  passageway  between  rocks, 
often  of  great  height.  The  Grand  Canon  of  the  Colorado 
is  the  largest  known. 

Cant,  the  slang  of  the  Gipsies. 
Cant  (Eng.),  a  blow  or  a  toss  in  wrestling. 
Cant,  to  overturn ;  to  throw. 

Cantab  (Eng.),  a  student  at  Cambridge  University  {Cant- 
abrium). 

Cantankerous,  bad-tempered,  litigious.  Probably  a  corrup- 
tion of  contentious. 

Canting,  as  applied  to  a  professor  of  religion,  means  that  he 
is  a  pretentious  hypocrite.  The  word  is  said  to  have  been 
derived  from  the  name  of  one  Andrew  Cant,  a  Scotch 
clergyman,  but  this  is  extremely  doubtful. 

Cant  of  togs,  a  suit  of  clothes. 
Canuck,  a  Canadian. 
Canvaseens,  sailors'  trousers. 


58  CAP— CAR 

Cap,  to  outdo.    "That  caps  the  climax."     Capping  verses 

was  an  old-time  amusement  of  the  learned. 
Cap,  "to  set  her  cap,"  as  a  woman  does  at  a  man  whom  she 

wants  to  marry. 
Cape  Cod  turkey,  salt  pork. 
Caper,  proper.    The  proper  caper  is  the  "right  thing,"  the 

style. 
Caper-dealer  (Eng.),  or  Hop  Merchant;  a  dancing  mas- 
ter.    Or  in  thieves'  slang,  one  who  is  hanged,  cuts  capers, 

u  e.^  *'dances  on  nothing." 
Capper,  one  who  is  employed  in  a  gambling  house  to  play 

in  order  to   "rope  in  outsiders."     Mock  auction  shops  of 

the  "Peter  Funk"  order  employ  "cappers"  to  bid,  so  as  to 

run  up  prices. 
Cap-sheaf  (Eng.),  the  top,  the  summit. 
Card  (Eng.),  a  character.    **A  queer  card"  is  synonymous 

with  "an  odd  fish." 
Carking:  (Eng.),  anxious,  careful. 
Carle  (Scotch),  an  old  man,  a  companion. 
Cameying  (Irish),  flattering,  wheeling. 
Camisli  (Old  Gant),  meat.    Doubtless  from    the  Lingua 

Franca.    A  Carnish-Ken  is  an  eating-house.   Thus  we 

have  Carnival,  which,  as  Byron  says,  means  "farewell  to 

flesh." 
Caroon,  five  shillings ;  from  the  French,  couroune^  a  crown. 

(Gipsy),  C(?«r«a;  (Span.),  corowa. 

Carpet,  "on  the  carpet,"  said  to  be  from  the  French  sur  le 
tapisy  but  not  used  in  the  same  sense  in  France. 
Carpeted  means  to  be  hauled  before  some  superior  au- 
thority for  a  reprimand.  "On  the  carpet,"  anything  cur- 
rent for  discussion. 

Carpet-bagger  (Am.),  a  term  invented  during  the  recon- 
struction period  to  identify  Northern  men  who  went  into 


CAR— CAS  59 

the  Southern  States  to  obtain  political  office,  and  whose  sole 
property  was  the  carpet  bag  or  valise  which  thqjr  carried 
with  them. 

Carry  (Am.)  In  the  Southern  States  this  word  is  used  in  the 
sense  of  "escort,"  or  "accompany,"  e.  g.^  "Mr.  G.  carried 
Miss  M.  to  the  ball."  The  English  novelists  of  the 
eighteenth  century  used  the  word  in  exactly  the  same  way. 

Carry-all  (French,  Carriole)^  a  large  carriage;  in  Canada 
a  sleigh. 

Carrying  water  on  both  shoulders,  playing  a  double  part; 
agreeing  ostensibly  with  both  parties  in  interest;  double- 
faced  action. 

Carry  me  out  (Eng.),  an  exclamation  of  pretended  astonish- 
ment. The  Irish  add,  "and  bury  me  dacent."  Sometimes 
varied  to  "Oh !  let  me  die,"  or  in  the  United  States,  "You 
can  have  my  hat." 

Carry-on,  to  frolic  or  "cut  up  didoes." 

Carser  (Gip.),  a  house  or  inn.     Probably  from  the  Spanish  n' 

casa.  •\  ' 

Cart-wheel,  an  English  crownpiece  or  an  American  silver      ,p  ;^<,Vr    j^v. 

dollar.  '%C*^    Vo^'' 

Casa  (Sp.  or  It.),  a  house,  generally   not   a  respectable  one. 

A  Mott-Kask  is  a  brothel ;  from  the  Low  Dutch  Motte 

Kast. 
Case  (Eng.),  a  curious  fellow;  about  the  same  as  «'a  rum 

card,"  an  "odd  fish,"  or  a  "queer  duck." 
Case  (  Am.),  one  dollar.     From  the  Hebrew  caser^  or  crown. 
Cash  up  (Am.),  to  pay. 

Cassan  (Gip.)  cheese.     From  the  German  case. 
Castles  in  Spain,  a  mythical  possession,  equivalent  to  estates 

on  the  Island  of  Dunnowhere.     From  the   French    Cha- 

teaux  en  Esfagne, 


6o  CAS— CAU 

Castor  (Eng.),  a  hat.  From  the  Latin  name  for  a  beaver, 
from  whose  fur  top-hats  were  formerly  made.  A  silk 
hat  is  still  often  spoken  of  as  a  beaver,  and  prize-fight  reports 
invariably  set  forth  that  "Muggins  shied  his  castor  into  the 
ring,"  preparatory  to  entering  it  himself. 

Cat,  a  lady's  muff;  sometimes  applied  to  the  lady  herself. 

Cat,  or  "cat  o'  nine-tails,"  a  whip  formerly  used  for  flogging 
seamen. 

Catamaran,  a  disagreeable  old  woman.  Thackeray  uses  the 
word. 

Catch  a  weasel  asleep  (Eng.),  a  task  requiring  much 
acuteness. 

Catch  on  (Am.),  to  appreciate;  to  be  alive  to  the  situation. 
"Do  you  catch  on?"  is  varied  to  "Do  you  tumble?" 

Catch-up  (Am.),  a  Western  phrase,  signifying  to  harness 
the  horses. 

Catch-w^eight.  Prize-fights  are  sometimes  arranged  to  be 
fought  irrespective  of  the  weight  of  the  contestants; 
in  other  words,  you  take  them  as  you  catch  them. 

Caterwaul,  to  sing  loudly  and  out  of  tune,  as  pussy  does  on 
the  tiles  when  enjoying  a  night  out. 

Catgut  scraper,  a  fiddler.  Burns  uses  the  word  in  his 
yolly  Beggars. 

Cat-in-pan,  a  turncoat.     See  The  Vicar  of  Bray. 

Cat-lap,  weak  drink. 

Cats  and  Dogs,  said  to  rain  that  way  sometimes;  occasion- 
ally it  rains  "pitchforks." 

Catspaw,  a  dupe  or  tool ;  one  who  is  made  use  of.  From 
the  old  story  of  the  monkey  who  used  the  cat's  paw  to  re- 
move his  chestnuts  from  the  fire.  A  catspaw  at  sea  means 
a  light  breeze. 

Cat's  water,  gin. 

Caubeen  (Irish),  a  hat  or  cap. 


CAU— CHA  6i 

Cancns  (Am.),  a  meeting  of  a  party  to  select  candidates  for 
office,  or  to  determine  upon  a  course  of  policy.  The  word 
has  been  adopted  into  use  in  England.  It  is  asserted,  but 
so  far  as  we  can  ascertain,  without  any  evidence  to  back  it, 
that  the  word  was  derived  from  a  meeting  of  caulkers  held 
in  Boston,  prior  to  the  Revolutionary  War. 

Caugrht  on  the  fly.  This  comes  from  the  base  ball  field ;  its 
origin  is  palpable ;  its  adaptation  can  be  readily  made. 

Caulker  (Eng.),  more  often  Corker,  a  drink.  A  caulker 
is  also  a  story  of  the  Munchausen  order. 

Caution  (Am.),  anything  extraordinary.  "He's  a  caution" 
is  used  to  characterize  a  man  who  may  be  a  "caution"  to 
drink,  or  a  "caution"  to  work.  "A  caution  to  snakes"  is 
the  superlative.  j 

Cave-in  (Am.),  from  the  caving  or  sinking  in  of  an  aban- 
doned mine,  or  of  a  well  or  shaft.  A  beaten  man  caves-in; 
if  in  the  prize-ring  he  "throws  up  the  sponge." 

Cavort  (Am.),  cavorting  around;  prancing  about  in  a  play- 
ful ana  purposeless  way.  From  the  French  curvet^  as  ap- 
plied to  a  horse's  actions. 

Century  (Eng.),  a  hundred  pounds. 

Cliafr,  to  joke  or  quiz.  Originally  to  "queer"  or  to  "smoke" 
or  *'roast,"  had  the  same  meaning. 

Chaffer  (Old  Eng.),  the  mouth.  "Moisten  your  chaflEer," 
take  a  drink. 

Chain  lightningr  (Am.),  bad  whisky. 

Chal  (Gip.),  a  man.     Chie  is  the  Romany  for  a  woman. 

Chalks  (Eng.),  walk  your  chalks,  to  go.  To  "beat  by  a 
long  chalk,"  to  be  superior  by  many  degrees. 

Chalk  up  (Eng.),  to  credit.  From  the  old  practice  of  chalk- 
ing tavern  scores  behind  the  bar-door. 

Chancery,  in  difficulties.  To  get  an  opponent  in  the  prize- 
ring  in  chancery  is  to  get  his  head  firmly  under  one's  arm, 


62  CHA 

when  he  is  practically  defenceless  against  severe  punish- 
ment. The  analogy  is  doubtless  drawn  from  the  help- 
less condition  of  a  litigant  under  the  old  equity  practice. 
Chance  the  ducks  (Eng.),  an  absurd  equivalent  for  "come 
what  may."  "I'll  do  it  and  chance  the  ducks."  Probably 
the  corruption  of  an  oath,  or  of  Chance  the  Dux,  or  mas- 
ter. 

Change,  small  money. 

Change  your  breath,  take  a  drink. 

Chap,  a  man  or  boy.  He  may  be  a  "rum  chap,"  a  "queer" 
one,  or  any  other  adjective  may  be  used.  The  word  was 
introduced  into  the  English  public  schools  about  the  same 
time  as  the  word  Muff  (^.  v.)y  but  while  the  latter  has  re- 
tained its  place  in  the  vocabulary  of  the  youthful  aristo- 
crats, "chap"  has  been  relegated  to  the  shop-boys,  with 
whom  it  is  a  great  favorite. 

Chapel,  an  assemblage  of  compositors  (printers),  held  for 
the  purpose  of  making  regulations  and  discussing  matters 
of  interest  to  the  men.  The  presiding  officer  is  known  as 
the  "Father  of  the  Chapel."  The  earliest  printing  offices 
were  attached  to  monastic  institutions,  and  Caxton  had  his 
press  in  Westminster  Abbey ;  hence  the  use  of  the  word. 

Chapparal  (Sp.),  thick,  low  bush. 

Char  or  Chare  (Old  Eng.),  a  turn  of  work.  We  use  the 
word  "chores,"  now  obsolete  in  England.  But  the  Eng- 
lish have  "charwoman,"  a  person  who  does  housework  in 
the  absence  of  a  regular  servant. 

Chatterbox,  an  incessant  talker. 

Chaunt,  to  sing  in  the  streets.     Canter's  or  chaunter's  talk 

is  the  language  of  the  vulgar.     A  Horse-chaunter    (^. 

!>.),  is  a  horse-dealer  of  a  low  order,  who  chants  the  praises 

of  some  old  "screw." 
Chaunter,  a  street  ballad  singer.  ' 


CHA— CHI  63 

Gbaw,  past  participle  of  chew.  A  "chaw"  of  tobacco  is  a 
sufficient  modicum.  "All  chawed  up"  means  "done  for," 
finished. 

Chaw-bacon  (Eng.),  a  rustic.  ~  Joskin,  Yokel  and  Clod- 
Crusher  are  English  equivalents.  In  the  United  States 
the  animal  is  known  as  a  "jay,"  or  "country-jake,"  or  a 
"greeny." 

Cheap  (Eng.),  "on  the  cheap,"  living  economically. 

Cheap  Jack  (Eng.),  a  street-corner  peddler;  a  Fakir 
{g.   V.) 

Cheater  (Old  Eng.),  a  decoy.     See  II  Henry  IV,  it.  3, 

Checks,  money  or  equivalents  for  it. 

Checks  (Am.),  "passed  in  his  checks"  or  chips,  said  of  one 
dead.  A  gambler  cashes  in  his  chips  at  the  close  of  the 
game. 

Cheek  (Eng.),  impudence,  brass.  "All  to  his  own  cheek," 
all  for  himself.  To  "cheek"  a  man  is  to  "give  him  lip," 
to  sauce  him. 

Cheek  by  jowl  (Old  Eng.),  side  by  side. 

Cheese,  anything  good.  "That's  the  cheese."  Said  to  be 
derived  from  the  Persian  Chiz — the  thing. 

Cheese  it,  leave  off.  "Cheese  your  barrikin"  (from  bark- 
ing), hold  your  tongue. 

Cheese-cutter  (Eng.),  a  prominent,  aquiline  nose.  Also  a 
cap  with  a  square  peak  in  front. 

Chestnut  (Am.),  an  old  story;  an  often  repeated  yam. 
The  average  chestnut  of  the  "dago"  fruit  stand  has  claims 
to  respect  on  account  of  its  age,  but  is  not  desirable  as  an 
article  of  diet,  and  ancient  stories  are  equally  tiresome. 

Chic  (Fr.),  the  correct  thing,  the  style,  or  "proper  caper." 


64  CHI 

Chlcagoed  ^Am.^,  the  equivalent  of  "skunked"  or  beaten 
out  of  signt.  Some  years  ago  Chicago  had  a  base-ball 
club  which  met  with  phenomenal  succcess.  Other  com- 
peting clubs  which  ended  the  game  without  scoring  were 
said  to  have  been  "Chicagoed." 

Chicken  (Eng.),  anything  young.  Chicken  Stakes  are 
races  for  two-year-olds,  or  where  the  stakes  are  very  small. 
An  old  maid  is  described  as  being  "no  chicken." 

Chicken-feed  (Am.),  small  change. 

Chicken-hearted  (Eng.),  cowardly,  frightened. 

Childer  (Old  Eng.),  children. 

Chill  (Eng.),  to  "take  the  chill  off,"  to  warm  beer. 

Chin,  to  talk  impudently. 

Chinch  or  Chintz,  a  bed-bug.     (  Cimex  lectularius.) 

Chink  (Eng.),  money. 

Chin  music  (Am.),  talk.  A  talkative  person  is  said  to  have 
too  much  chin. 

Chinook  (Am.),  a  wind  which  blows  at  certain  seasons  on 
V  the  Pacific  Slope.     Chinook  jargon  is  a  language  of  the 
Volapuk  order,  invented  and  used  in  Oregon. 

Chip  (Am.),  a  disc  of  ivory  or  bone,  used  in  playing  cards. 
To  avoid  the  use  of  money  and  of  making  change,  the 
"bank"  sells  chips  of  various  colors  at  prices  agreed  upon, 
and  redeems  them  at  the  end  of  the  game. 

Chip,  a  carpenter. 

Chip-in,  to  contribute  toward  a  game  or  a  collection. 

Chip  of  the  old  block,  a  child  bearing  a  physical  or  moral 

resemblance  to  his  putative  parent. 
Chipper  (Am.),  lively. 
Chippy  (Am.),  a   young  girl;  not   a  complimentary   term. 

Chippy-Chasers  are  the  well-dressed  loafers  who  lie  in 

wait  for  shop  girls  and  school  children. 


CHI— CHO  65 

CJhips,  money. 

Chirk  (Am.),  cheerful,  lively;  in  good  spirits. 

Chirp  (Eng.),  to  talk;  usually  to  inform  or  to  "peach." 

Chisel  (Eng.),  to  cheat. 

Chit  (Hindu),  a  letter. 

Chiv  or  Chive,  a  knife.  Also  used  as  a  verb,  to  knife.  The 
word  is  used  by  the  Gipsies,  and  is  probably  of  Hindu 
origin. 

Chive  (Gip.),  the  tongue. 

Chive-fencer,  a  street-peddler  of  cutlery. 

Chivy  (Eng.),  to  chase,  as  in  boys' play.  Probably  from 
Chevy  Chase.  Also  the  shouting  of  boys  at  play.  "Poor 
Jo,"  in  Dicken's  novel.  Bleak  House^  objected  to  being 
"chivied,"  that  is,  ordered  to  "move  on." 

Chock  (Old  Eng.),  to  choke. 

Chock-f\ill  (Eng.),  full  to  the  throat.  Properly  Chuck- 
full. 

Choke-off  (Eng.),  to  get  rid  of,  to  finish. 

Choker  (Eng.),  a  white  necktie. 

Chokey  (Eng.),  a  prison.  Generally  applied  to  a  military 
guard-house. 

Chop  (Pidgin  English),  good.  "First  chop"  signifies  of 
best  quality.  A  Chinaman  makes  his  "chop"  where  a 
white  man  writes  his  name. 

Chop  (Eng.),  to  swop  or  exchange.  "Chopping  about" 
means  to  vary  one's  actions,  as  "to  chop  and  change."  A 
"chopping  sea"  is  one  where  the  waves,  although  small,  are 
contrary. 

Chops  (Eng.),  the  mouth.     Properly  Chaps. 

Chores,  small  jobs  of  work  about  the  house  or  farm.  Orig- 
inally English,  but  seldom  heard  in  England  now,  although 
"charwoman"  is  used  to  signify  an  assistant  in  house  work. 


66  CHO— CHU 

Chouse  (Old  Eng.),  to  cheat.  Ben  Jonson  used  the  word  in 
The  Alchemist.  The  reference  is  to  a  Turkish  interpre- 
ter or  chiaousy  who  in  the  early  part  of  the  seventeenth 
century  succeeded  in  swindling  a  number  of  London  mer- 
chants. 

Chubby  (Eng.),  round-faced,  plump. 

Chuck  (Eng.),  food. 

Chuck  (Eng.),  to  throw. 

Chuck-a-luck  (Am.),  a  game  played  with  dice.  • 

Chucker-out  (Am.),  a  bruiser  hired  by  gambling'-house 
keepers  and  the  proprietors  of  "dives"  and  low  places  to 
preserve  the  peace  by  throwing  out  all  who  are  obnoxious 
to  the  management.  He  is  equally  well-known  as  a 
"Bouncer." 

Chuck-full  (Eng.),  see  Chock-full,  ante. 

Chuck  it  up  (Eng.),  to  surrender.  Otherwise  to  "Jack  up." 

Chuckle-head  (Eng.),  a  stupid  person. 

Chum  (Eng.),  an  intimate  friend.  To  chum  with  a  man  is 
to  board  and  lodge  with  him.  Probably  from  the  Anglo- 
Saxon  Cuma^  a  guest.  An  Englishman  will  say  "Jones 
and  I  got  quite  chummy." 

Chummy  (Eng.),  a  chimney-sweep. 

Chump  (Am.),  a  stupid  fellow;   a  fool. 

Chump  (Eng.),  the  head.  A  silly  or  daft  person  is  "off  his 
chump." 

Chunk  (Eng.),  a  thick  or  large  shapeless  portion  of  any- 
thing, as  of  bread  or  meat. 

Chunky  (Am.),  short,  thick.  A  stout-built  man  of  small 
stature  is  "chunky  built."     See  Stocky. 

Churchwarden  (Eng.),  a  long  clay  pipe,  otherwise  known 
as  a  "yard  of  clay." 

Chute  (Am.),  a  bayou  or  narrow  portion  of  a  river.  Also 
applied  to  an  artificial  conduit.     See  Shoot. 


CIN— CLA  &f 

Cinch  (Am.),  "to  have  a  cinch  on"  anything  Is  to  have  "a 
dead  pull."  The  word  comes  from  the  "cinch"  or  saddle- 
girth  that,  properly  manipulated,  holds  the  saddle  or  load 
in  place.  A  "leadpipe"  or  "grapevine"  cinch  are  superla- 
tives. This  word  is  also  applied  to  a  modification  of  tke 
game  of  Pedro. 

Cinder,  "to  take  a  cinder  in  it,"  is  said  in  England  where 
sodawater  or  lemonade  is  strengthened  by  the  addition  of 
brandy  or  other  strong  liquor.  In  this  country  we  say 
"take  a  stick  in  it." 

Circumbendibus,  round  about ;  a  story  with  no  end  to  it. 

Circumstance,  "not  a"  (Am.),  used  as  a  comparison,  as 
*'That  was  not  a  circumstance  to  what  happened  once  to 
me." 

Clabber,  sour  milk. 

Clack,  talk. 

Clack-box,  a  garrulous  person. 

Clack-dish  (Old  Cant),  a  dish  carried  by  beggars  in  old 
time  for  the  reception  of  food. 

Clag  (Eng.),  to  stick. 

Claim  (Am.),  the  land  or  mining  property  taken  up  by  a 
settler  or  prospector.  Claim-jumping  is  taking  violent 
possession  of  another's  claim,  a  common  practice  in  the 
mining  country,  but  risky. 

Clam  "happy  as  a"  (Am.).  For  some  unknown  reason  this 
bivalve  is  supposed  to  enjoy  perennial  bliss  and  to  be  spec- 
ially happy  at  "high  water." 

Clam-shell  (Am.),  the  mouth.  Common  in  New  England, 
and  used  by  Lowell  in  the  Biglotv  Papers. 

Clapper  (Eng.),  the  tongue. 

Clapper-claw  (Old  Eng.),  a  row  between  women  where 
caps  are  torn  and  faces  clawed.  See  Shakespeare,  Troilus 
and  Cressida. 


68  CLA— CLE 

Clap-trap  (Eng.),  high-sounding  nonsense;  bombast.  "A 
trap  to  catch  a  clap  (applause)  from  a  theatre  audience." 

Claque  (French),  the  paid  mob  who  attend  the  representa- 
tions of  plays  in  France,  and  applaud  at  times  arranged  in 
advance. 

Claret  (P.  R.),  blood. 

Class  (Eng.),  quality.  "He  cannot  trot  in  that  class"  is  said 
of  an  inferior  horse  in  this  country. 

Clatch  (Old),  a  quantity;  same  as  a  Batch  or  Brcxdd. 

Claver  (Scotch)  gossip. 

Clawhanuner  (Am.),  a  dress-coat;  otherwise  known  as  a 
"steel-pen"  or  "swallow-tail." 

Clay.     "To  moisten  one's  clay"  (Eng.)  is  to  drink. 

Clay-eater  (Am.),  a  native  South  Carolinian.  The  "poor 
whites"  in  some  of  the  back  counties  of  that  State  eat  con- 
siderable quantities  of  soft,  white  clay. 

Clean  (Old  Eng.),  entirely  "clean  gone;"  altogether  gone; 
out  or  sight. 

Clean  out  (Eng.),  to  ruin;  to  exhaust  financially  or  other- 
wise. 

Clear  grit  (Am.),  decided;  honest. 

Clear  out  (Am.),  to  go  away.  "Dig  out"  and  "skip"  are 
equivalent. 

Clem  (North  of  England),  to  starve  or  to  be  thirsty. 

Clerk  of  the  Weather,  a  mythical  personage  supposed  to 
control  the  elements.     See  Old  Probs. 

Clever,  in  the  United  States  is  used  colloquially  in  the  sense  of 
good-natured,  while  in  England  it  means  handy,  skillful,  as 
"a  clever  mechanic."  Where  the  Englishman  says  "clever" 
we  say  "smart,"  and  where  we  would  speak  of  a  man  as  a 
"clever"  fellow  the  Englishman  would  use  the  word 
"jolly." 


CLI— CLY  69 

Click  (Eng.),  to  snatch  or  pull  away. 

Clicker  (Eng.),  a  female  touterat  a  bonnet  shop.  Eqiuva« 
lent  to  the  male  "capper"  or  "steerer." 

Clinch  (Eng.),  a  jail. 

Clinched  (Eng.),  locked  up  in  jail. 

Clincher  (Eng.),  a  statement  which  settles  an  argument;  a 
lie  which  cannot  be  controverted. 

Clip,  a  blow  or  stroke  with  the  hand. 

Clipper,  a  fast  sailing  vessel ;  also  applied  to  a  showy,  hand- 
some woman.  Clipper-rigged  means  stylish;  well-ar- 
ranged. 

Clippingr  (Eng.),  first  class;  excellent. 

Clock,  (Eng.),  a  watch.  A  gold  watch  is  a  "red  clock"  or  a 
red  'un;  a  silver  watch  is  a  *'white  'un." 

Clock,  "what's  o'clock."  To  know  this  is  to  be  "fly  to  the 
time  of  day;'*  wide-awake,  knowing. 

Clodhopper  (Eng.),  a  country  clown. 

Clodpole  (Eng.),  an  ignorant  countryman. 

Clootie  (Scotch),  the  Devil,  from  his  supposed  color;  clootie, 
black. 

Cloud,  "under  a,"  to  be  in  difficulties,  disgrace,  or  disre- 
pute. 

Clout  (Old  Eng.)  a  cotton  handkerchief. 

Clout  (Eng.),  a  blow. 

Clout,  to  mend,  as  a  tinker  clouts  a  kettle,  or  a  tailor  clouts  a 
garmet. 

CloTcr  (Eng.),  "to  be  in  clover"  is  to  be  well  off.  The 
bookmaker  vsrho  has  so  arranged  his  bets  that  he  may  win 
and  cannot  possibly  lose  is  in  clover,  or  "stands  on  velvet." 

Cly  (Old  Cant),  the  pocket. 

Cly-fiaker  (Gip.),  from  Cly,  a  pocket;  and  Fake  (j-.  v.)^  to 
rob,  or  to  go  on.  See  Father  Prout's  famous  song,  pur- 
porting to  be  a  translation  from  the  French. 


70  COA— COC 

Coach  (Eng.),  a  private  tutor;  to  coach  Is  to  instruct,  and  is 
used  not  only  of  mental  but  physical  instruction.  Thus  it 
is  said  "The  Oxford  crew  were  coached  from  the  tow-path 
by  W.  Blank,  former  stroke  of  the  University  crew." 

Coach-wheel  or  Cart-wheel,  an  English  crown-piece,  or 
five  shillings. 

Coal  (Eng.),  money. 

Coals,  "carrying."  It  is  said  of  a  pimp  or  pander  that  he 
will  "carry  coal."     See  Shakespeare,  King  Henry  IV. 

Coals  (Eng.),  "to  haul  one  over  the,"  to  take  to  task  or  to 
scold. 

Coast  (Am.),  to  slide  down  hill  on  sleds  in  the  snow. 

Cob  (Eng.),  a  middle-sized  horse. 

Cobbler  (Am.),  the  name  of  a  drink;  "a  sherry-cobbler." 

Cobbler  (Eng.),  a  mender  of  old  boots  and  shoes. 

Cock  (Eng.),  a  jovial  fellow;  a  "jolly  old  cock." 

Cock  (Eng.),  a  story;  a  fake. 

Cock-a-hoop  (Eng.),  in  high  spirits. 

Cock-a-leekie  (Scotch),  a  broth  made  of  chicken. 

Cock  and  bull  story,  a  long  rambling  anecdote. 

Cocked-hat,  "knocked  into  a,"  knocked  out  of  shape. 

Cocker,  "according  to."  See  According  to  Gunter, 
ante. 

Cockey,  impertinent. 

Cock-eyed,  squinting. 

Cock  laundress  (Eng.),  the  male  hanger-on  of  a  laundry, 
who  carries  home  the  washing. 

Cockles  (Eng.),  "to  warm  one's  cockles,"  a  vulgar  phrase 
implying  great  pleasure. 

Cockloft  (Eng.),  the  upper  room  of  a  house;  the  attic. 

Cockney,  a  native  of  London,  England.  In  order  to  be  en- 
titled to  this  dis  tinction  the  person  must  be  born  "within 


COC— COL  71 

the  sound  of  Bow  Bells,"  that  is,  of  the  bells  of  the  Church 
of  St,  Mary  le  Bow,  in  Cheapside,  London. 

Cock  of  the  waUc  (Eng.),  the  master  spirit;  the  head  of  a 
party. 

Cockshy  (Eng.),  from  the  game  of  that  name  in  which  arti- 
cles are  set  upon  sticks  to  be  thrown  at.  Any  person 
abused  in  the  newspapers  is  spoken  of  as  a  "cockshy." 

Cocksure  (Eng.),  certain. 

Cocktail  (Am.),  a  mixed  drink. 

Cocktail  (Eng.),. an  aged  but  lively  horse. 

Cocky  (Eng.),  pert,  swaggering,  impudent. 

Cocoa-nut  (P.  R.),  the  head. 

Cocum  (Gip.),  shrewdness,  luck. 

Cod  (Eng.),  to  hoax,  to  "take  a  rise"  out  of  one. 

C.  O.  D.  (Am.),  cash  on  delivery. 

Coddle  (Eng.),  to  nurse;  to  make  much  of. 

Codfish  aristocracy  (Am.),  the  name  applied  to  the  nouveau 
riche  of  Massachusetts,  who  were  said  to  have  made  their 
money  out  of  the  fisheries. 

Codger  (Old  Cant),  an  old  man. 

Cog  (Old  Eng.),  to  cheat.     See  Merry  Wives  of  Windsor, 

III  3. 
Cogged  (Old  Eng.),  loaded  dice. 

Cold  (Am.),  certain,  positive;  as  "I  give  it  out  cold"  that  I 
will  do  so-and-so. 

Cold  coflfee  or  Cold  gruel  (Eng.),  bad  luck. 

Cold  deck  (Am.),  a  pack  of  cards  so  arranged  that  the  deal- 
er knows  what  kind  of  a  hand  he  is  giving  his  opponent. 

Cold  meat  (  Eng. ) ,  a  corpse. 
Cold  scran  (Irish),  cold  victuals. 


7*  COL 

Ojjlfl  Slini]lflpr»  "to  give  one,"  is  to  treat  a  friend  with  mod- 
ified civility,  as  when  one  calls  at  dinner  time  when  no 
preparation  has  been  made  and  is  served  with  the  remnant 
of  yesterday's  shoulder  of  mutton. 

Gold  veal  (Eng.),  kissing  one's  sister. 

Cold  water  (Eng.),  "to  throw  on,"  to  discourage. 

CJold  water  party  (Am.),  the  Prohibitionists. 

Cold  without  (Eng.),  spirits  and  cold  water  without  sugar. 

Collar  (Eng.),  to  seize  hold  of;  to  arrest.     Also  to  steal. 

Collar  (Am.),  (as  a  noun)  a  policeman. 

Collar  (Eng.),  "out  of,"  out  of  work.  Same  as  "out  of 
harness"  or  Carrying  the  Banner.  See  Banner, 
ante. 

Collide,  to  come  into  collision.  Not  recognized  by  English 
writers  of  to-day,  although  used  by  Dryden. 

Collogue  (Irish),  to  conspire;  to  talk  mysteriously.  Prob- 
ably from  colloquy  or  colleague,  or  a  combination  of  both. 

Collop  (Scotch),  a  small  portion  of  meat. 
Color  (Am.),  in  mining  parlance  a  speck  of  gold;  the  small- 
est quantity  which  it  will  pay  to  work. 

Color  (Eng.),  complexion,  tint.  "I  have  not  seen  the  color 
of  his  money,"  that  is,  he  has  not  paid  me  yet. 

Colors  (P.  R.),  handkerchiefs  worn  as  distinctive  emblems 
by  prize-fighters  on  entering  the  ring.  Boating  crews 
have  special  colored  caps;  such  as  Oxford  dark  and  Cam- 
bridge light  blue.  Jockeys  are  distinguished  by  their  vari- 
colored caps  and  jackets. 

Colt,  a  professional  cricketer  or  baseball  player  during  his 
first  season. 

Colt  (Eng.),  a  weapon  resembling  a  sling-shot.  Also  a 
piece  of  rope,  formerly  used  in  the  navy  for  "colting"  the 
ship-boys. 


COL— COM  7j 

Colt  (Eng.),  to  cause  one  to  stand  treat;  to  make  him  pay 
his  rooting. 

Colt's  tooth  (Eng.).  The  possession  of  one  is  alleged  against 
certain  elderly  gentlemen  of  juvenile  tastes. 

Comb  (Am.),  the  ridge  of  a  hill. 

Comb,  "to  cut  one's"  (Eng.),  to  take  a  person  down;  to  mor- 
tify or  disgrace  him.  From  the  practice  of  cutting  the 
combs  or  wattles  of  domestic  fowls. 

Combine  (Am.),  a  word  recently  coined  to  express  the  same 
meaning  as  "trust"  and  supposed  not  to  be  quite  so  distaste- 
ful to  the  opponents  of  monopolies, 

Come-alongs  (Am.),  articles  of  twine  or  wire  which  may 
be  twisted  around  the  wrists  and  are  used  by  policemen  in 
lieu  of  handcuffs. 

Come  down  (Eng.),  to  pay;  to  milk  down. 

Come  off  (Am.),  go  slow,  let  up,  stop  your  conversation  or 
tricks. 

Comether  (Irish).  It  is  said  of  some  men,  who  have  pre- 
sumably "kissed  the  Blarney  stone,"  that  they  can  "put  the 
comether"  on  others;  that  is,  can  cast  a  glamour  over  them 
and  make  them  believe  anything. 

Come  out.  In  society  parlance,  a  young  lady  "comes  out" 
when  she  makes  her  debut  or  first  formal  appearance  in 
society. 

Come-outers,  in  the  slang  of  the  conventicle,  those  who 
leave  a  religious  organization  because  of  some  disagree- 
ment as  to  doctrine. 

Coming  it  (Eng.),  proceeding  at  a  great  rate. 

Coming  it  strong:  (Eng.),  putting  on  considerable  style;  at- 
tempting to  do  something  hardly  justified  by  the  circum- 
stances. 

Coming:  tricks  or  Coming  the  old  soldier  (Eng.),  trying 
to  cheat  or  swindle  one. 


H  COM— CON 

Commander,  a  sailor's  term  for  a  beetle  or  large  rammer 
used  for  packing  freight  in  a  ship's  hold. 

Commons,  short,  a  scanty  meal.  Commons  is  English 
University  slang  for  an  allowance. 

Comp,  abbreviation  of  compositor,  a  printer  who  works  at 
the  case ;  a  typo. 

Comprador  (Sp.),  an  agent,  sub-contractor,  or  boss  steve- 
dore. 

Coney  (Am.),  counterfeit  money. 

Coniacker  (Am.),  a  counterfeiter. 

Conk,  the  nose. 

Con  men  (Am.),  or  confidence  men,  swindlers,  bunko  steer- 
ers.     See  Bunco. 

Constable,  "to  overrun  the"  (Eng.),  to  exceed  one's  in- 
come. 

Constitutional  (Eng.),  a  walk  supposed  to  be  taken  for  the 
benefit  of  the  constitution. 

Contangfo,  on  the  Stock  Exchange,  the  price  paid  for  carry- 
ing over  bargains  from  day  to  day. 

Continental  (Am.),  first  applied  to  the  Congress  which 
met  in  1774;  then  to  the  army  raised  under  its  auspices, 
and  then  to  the  money  or  scrip  issued  by  it.  "Not  worth 
a  continental"  has  reference  to  the  disrepute  into  which 
this  money  fell. 

Continuations  (Eng.),  trousers.  Otherwise  unmentiona- 
bles, inexpressibles,  and  other  euphemisms  of  a  mock- modest 
character. 

Contraband  (Am.),  which  means  properly  anything  for- 
bidden to  be  imported  in  time  of  war  in  neutral  vessels,  was 
applied  during  the  Civil  War,  1 861- 1865,  to  the  negro 
slaves  in  the  South.  Gen.  B.  F.  Butler  held  that  negroes 
were  "contraband  of  war"  and  declined  to  give  them  up. 
The  negro  was  often  spoken  of  later  as  "the  intelligent 
contraband"  by  newspaper  correspondents. 


CON— coo  75 

Contraption  or  Contription,  a  contrivance.  Bums  in  Tarn 
G" Shunter  has  "cantrip,"  doubtless  the  same  thing. 

Convenient  (Irish),  near  to,  "handy  by,"  to  use  another 
Hibemicism.     Usually  pronounced  "convanient." 

Convey,  to  steal.  "Convey  the  wise  it  call."  So  said  an- 
cient Pistol. 

Conveyer  or  Conveyancer,  a  thief  or  «snapper-up  of  uncon- 
sidered trifles." 

Coof  (Scotch),  a  fool. 

Cook,  "to  cook  up  accounts,"  to  prepare  such  by  false  entries 
in  order  to  produce  a  favorable  impression.  To  "cook  up 
a  story"  is  to  prepare  a  Fake  i^q.v.^ 

Cook  one's  goose  (Eng.),  to  ruin  him,  or  to  knock  him  out 

in  any  way. 
Cooky  or  Cookie  (Am.),  a  sweet  cake  or  biscuit. 
Cooler  (Am.),  the  calaboose  or  police  station. 
Cooler,  a  drink,  generally  of  beer  or  some  mild  beverage. 

Coon  (Am.),  a  negro.  "A  gone  coon"  is  one  in  a  bad  way. 
The  old  story,  a  veritable  chestnut,  is  told  that  Captain 
Scott,  a  noted  backwoods  sportsman,  leveled  his  gun  at  a 
coon  in  a  tree.  The  coon  said,  "Is  your  name  Scott?"  and 
being  answered  in  the  affirmative  said  "Don't  shoot;  I'll 
come  down."  David  Crockett  is  often  substituted  for  Cap- 
tain Scott  in  variations  of  this  yarn. 

Coon's  age  (Am.  ),  an  indefinite  period,  usually  supposed  to 
be  a  very  long  time.  Why  is  unknown,  as  raccoons  are 
not  specially  long-lived. 

Cooper  (Eng.),  a  mixture  of  stout  and  porter,  formerly  a 
favorite  drink  with  the  porters  of  Billingsgate  market.  It 
is  sometimes  spoken  of  as  "meat  and  drink"  and  one  of  its 
votaries  asked  a  barmaid  to  "Draw  it  thick,  Miss,  I've  had 
no  breakfast." 


76  COO— COR 

Cooper  (Eng.),  to  forge. 

Coopered  (Gip.),  spoilt,  as  a  cask  ruined  for  want  of  coop- 
ering. 

Coot,  "bald  as  a  coot;"  the  coot  or  mud-hen  is  destitute  of 
feathers  on  top  of  its  headj  "in  the  place  where  the  wool 
ought  to  grow." 

Cop  (contraction  of  Copper),  a  policeman.  To  cop  is  to 
seize  or  lay  hold  of.  To  be  copped  is  to  be  "collared"  by 
an  officer. 

Copenhagen  treat,  where  every  man  pays  for  his  own 
drink.     Sometimes  called  a  Philadelphia  treat. 

Coper  or  Couper  (Eng.),  a  horse  dealer. 

Copper,  an  English  penny  or  half-penny.  Since  the  change 
in  the  petty  coinage  known  as  a  "bronze." 

Copper  or  Cop  (Eng.),  a  policeman;  one  who  cops,  that  is, 
arrests  people. 

Copper  (Am.),  a  button  or  small  check  placed  on  a  bet  at 
faro  indicates  that  the  bet  is  "coppered,"  that  is,  the  play- 
er bets  that  the  card  indicated  will  lose  (that  is,  win  for  the 
bank). 

Copperhead  (Am.);  stay-at-home  Northern  men  who  dur- 
ing the  Civil  War  sympathized  with  the  Confederacy  were 
styled  "copperheads"  from  a  particularly  venomous  snake 
which  lies  in  ambush  and  strikes  without  warning. 

Corduroy,  a  rough  kind  of  ribbed  cloth,  much  affected  by 
English  gamekeepers  and  "horsey"  men  generally. 

Corduroy  (Am.),  a  rough  road  made  by  laying  logs  side  by 
side  on  the  earth.  From  the  resemblance  to  the  ribs  of  cor- 
duroy cloth. 

Corinthian,  a  man  about  town;  "one  of  the  boys;"  a  sport. 
See  Shakespeare  /  Henry  I K,  eV,  4.  But  it  is  far  older  than 
this.  The  immorality  of  Corinth  was  proverbial  in  an- 
cient Greece  and  to  "Corinthianize"  was  to  frequent  the 
company  of  the  heiercs. 


COR  77 

Cork  (Eng.),  a  bankrupt  or  ruined  man,  with  too  little  bal- 
last to  float  psoperly. 

Cork,  "to  draw  a"  (P.  R.),  to  give  one  a  bloody  nose. 

Corked  (Eng.),  wine  that  has  lost  its  flavor  through  an  im- 
perfect cork. 

Corker  (Eng.),  a  stiff  story;  "that's  a  corker,"  that  settles 
it. 

Corks  (Eng.),  a  butler,  from  his  function. 

Comcracker  (Am.),  a  native  of  the  Southern  mountain 
country. 

Corn-dodgers  (Am.),  cake  made  of  corn-meal.  See  Hob- 
cake  and  JOHNNY-CAKB. 

Corned,  drunk;  soaked;  pickled  like  corned  beef. 

Comer  (Am.),  an  operation  in  stocks  or  any  other  article  of 
speculation  by  which  the  "shorts,"  not  having  the  goods  to 
deliver,  are  "cornered." 

Cornered  (Eng.),  hemmed  in;  placed  in  a  position  from 
which  there  is  no  escape. 

Corner-man,  otherwise  End-man.  The  bones  and  tambor- 
ine  players  in  a  negro  minstrel  show. 

Corn-fed  (Am.), stout,  plump,  in  good  condition. 

Corn-juice  (Am.),  whisky. 

Corporation  (Eng.),  the  stomach. 

Corporosity  (Am.),  supposed  to  have  some  reference  to 
the  human  form.  "How  does  your  corporosity  sagatiate?" 
is  a  supposedly  comic  inquiry  after  one's  health. 

Corpse  (Eng.),  to  spoil  or  to  confuse,  as  to  "corpse  the 
play"  by  making  a  mistake  in  the  dialogue  or  by  acting  in 
a  ridiculous  manner. 

Corral  (Sp  ),  the  enclosure  into  which  cattle  or  sheep  are 
driven  for  protection.  Any  place  fenced  in  a  primitive 
fashion.     The  South  African  Boers  call  it  a  Kraal. 

Corral  (Sp.),  to  enclose;  to  pen  up. 


76  COS— GOV 

Costard  (Old  Eng.),  the  head.     The  word  is  also  used  for 

a  large  apple,  from  whence  we  have   Costermonger 

(l^.  v.)y  a  street  fruit-peddler. 
Coster  (Eng.),  abbreviation  of  Costermonger  (see  next). 

Shakespeare,   Ben  Jonson    and    Beaumont   and   Fletcher 

used  the  word  in  its  present  acceptation. 

Costermonger  (Eng.),  an  itinerant  peddler,  of  whom  there 
are  several  thousands  in  London  alone. 

Cotton,  "to  cotton  to"  is  to  take  a  fancy  to  or  to  like  a  per- 
son. Claimed  as  a  native  Americanism,  but  really  Old 
English. 

Count,  to  suppose.    "I  counted  on  going." 

Counter  (P.  R.),  to  strike  back;  to  exchange  a  blow. 
Cross  countering  is  hitting  back  with  one  hand  in  ex- 
change for  a  blow  with  the  opposite  one. 

Counter-jumper  (Eng.),  a  shopman  or  clerk  in  a  store. 

Counting  ties  (Am.);  in  many  country  places  the  railroads 
form  the  most  direct  and  sometimes  the  only  passable  routes 
between  towns.  Tramps  and  others  compelled  to  walk 
for  lack  of  railroad  fare  speak  of  having  "taken  a  contract 
to  count  ties,"  which  is  done  one  at  a  time. 

Country  Jake,  a  greenhorn  from  the  rural  districts. 

County  crop  (Eng.),  hair  cut  short  as  if  by  the  prison  bar- 
ber, at  the  expense  of  the  county. 

Couple-beggar  (Old  Eng.),  a  degraded  clergyman,  or 
hedge  priest,  who  marries  people  in  irregular  fashion. 

Course  of  Sprouts,  "to  put  one  through  a,"  is  to  initiate 

him. 
Couter,  an  English  sovereign.     From  the  Gipsy  cuta,  a  gold 

coin. 
Cove,  a  man  or  boy.    Probably  from   the  old  Cant  word 

cofe  or  cu^n.     A  gentry-cove  is  a  gentleman. 


GOV— CRA  79 

Coventry,  "sent  to"  (Eng.),  banished  or  excluded  from  fel- 
lowship or  society.  The  town  of  Coventry,  England,  was 
one  where  all  trades  were  in  the  hands  of  the  guilds  of 
freemen,  so  that  an  outsider  there  had  little  chance. 

Cowan,  a  sneaking,  prying,  inquisitive  person.  The  word 
is  from  the  Greek  for  "dog."  Freemasons  speak  of  out- 
siders as  "cowans,"  i.  e.,  strangers. 

Cowboy  (Am.),  a  cattle-herder.  During  the  Revolutionary 
War  the  name  was  applied  to  the  country  Tories  of  New 
York  State. 

Cow-catcher  (Am.),  an  appendage  affixed  to  the  front  of  ml 
locomotive  for  the  purpose  of  removing  cattle  or  other  ob- 
structions from  the  track. 

Cowhide  or  Rawhide  (Am.),  a  whip  made  of  twisted  strips 
of  rawhide.  Cowhiding  is  thrashing  one  with  such  a 
weapon. 

Cow-lick  (Eng.),  a  refractory  lock  of  hair  on  the  front  of  the 
head — one  which  will  neither  curl  nor  lie  down. 

Cow  with  the  iron  tail  (Eng.),  the  pump. 

Cox  (Eng.),  the  coxswain  or  steersman  of  a  boat. 

Coyote  (Am.),  the  prairie  wolf.     From  the  Mexican  coyote* 

Crab,  a  sour,  disagreeable  person;  no  doubt  from  the  crab 
or  wild  apple,  which  is  a  very  ill-tempered  fruit. 

Crab,  "to  catch  a  crab,"  (Eng.),  to  fall  backwards  by  miss- 
ing a  stroke  in  rowing. 

Crabbed  (Eng.),  ill-tempered;  sour  as  a  crab-apple. 

Crab-shells  (Eng.),  feet.     Crabs,  at  dice,  a  pair  of  aces. 

Crack,  first-rate,  excellent;  the  favorite  horse  in  a  race.  A 
crack   hand,  a  crack  article,  a  crack  regiment. 

Crack  (Gip.),  kindling-wood.     Derivation  obvious. 

Crack  a  bottle  (Eng.),  to  drink.  In  Old  English  "crush" 
is  used,  probably  from  the  fact  that  the  original  bottles 
were  of  leather  and  presented  a  crushed  appearance  when 
empty. 


8o  CRA 

Crack  a  crib  (Eng.),  to  break  into  a  house. 

Cracked  up  (  Eng. ) ,  ruined. 

Cracker  (Am.),  the  poor  whites  of  South  Carolina. 

Crack-hemp  (Old  Eng.),  a  thief;  one  destined  to  the  gal- 
lows. 

Crackingr  a  crust  (Eng.),  getting  along  after  a  fashion. 
"Cracking  a  tidy  crust"  denotes  a  more  comfortable  state 
of  affairs. 

Crack  on,  to  apply  industriously ;  to  hurry  along. 

Cracksman,  a  burglar,  /.  c,  one  who  "cracks  cribs."  See 
Crib. 

Crack  up  (Old  Eng.),  to  praise  or  boast  about;  to  boom. 
See  Boom,  ante. 

Cradle  (Am.),  a  scythe  with  a  light  frame  work  attached, 
used  for  cutting  grain. 

Cradle  (Am.),  a  machine  shaped  like  a  child's  cradle  and 
used  for  washing  auriferous  earth.     See  also  Rocker. 

Cradle  of  Liberty  (Am.),  Faneuil  Hall,  Boston. 

Cram  (Eng.),  to  lie.  Also  to  impart  or  acquire  learning 
quickly,  as  in  cramming  for  an  examination. 

Crammer  (Eng.),  a  University  tutor  who  prepares  pupils 
for  competitive  examinations  by  cramming  them  with  in- 
formation on  subjects  which  they  are  likely  to  be  questioned 
on. 

Crammer  (Eng.),  a  lie. 

Crank  (Am.),  an  erratic  person;  one  of  ill-balanced  mind. 
An  unsteady  ship  is  crank  or  cranky. 

Cranky,  unsteady,  foolish,  erratic  or  cross  in  temper.  An- 
cient Cant  gives  Cranke  for  simulated  sickness,  and 
Crankey-men  for  beggars.  In  German  Krank  means 
sickly. 

Craps  (Am.),  a  game  played  by  negroes  with  dice,  and  of 


CRA— CRO  8i 

which  the  colored  race  are  passionately  fond.  The  mys- 
teries of  "shooting  craps,"  like  the  Chinese  "fan-tan,"  are 
practically  beyond  the  ken  of  white  men. 

Crawfish  (Am.),  to  back  out;  to  retract  one's  statements. 
From  the  motion  of  the  crawfish. 

Crawler  or  Growler,  an  English  four-wheeled  cab. 

Crazy-bone  (Am.),  the  extremity  of  the  elbow,  a  blow  on 
which  causes  a  painful  tingling.     See  Funny-bone. 

Crazy-quilt,  an  Americanism  for  the  patch-work  counter- 
pane. 

Cream  of  the  valley  or  "White  satin  (Eng.),  gin. 

Crease  (Am.),  to  shoot  a  horse  or  deer  in  the  upper  part  of 
the  neck,  so  that  it  falls  stunned,  but  is  not  killed. 

Creek,  which  is  properly  a  small  bay,  is  the  name  applied  in 
the  Northern  States  and  Canada  to  small  streams. 

Creepy  (Scotch),  a  stool. 

Crevasse  (Sp.),  a  break  in  a  levee  or  river  bank. 

Crib  (Eng.)  a  house,  lodging  or  apartment.  Otherwise  a 
situation. 

Crib  (Eng.),  to  steal  or  purloin. 

Crib  (Eng.),  a  literal  translation  of  a  classical  work,  used  by 
school-boys  to  save  themselves  the  trouble  of  studying. 

Crikey,  a  stupid  ejaculation  used  by  cockneys  as  an  expres- 
sion of  astonishment.  Possibly  a  corruption  of  Christ  or 
Christus. 

Cripple  (Eng.),  a  bent'coin. 

Crispin,  a  shoemaker,  from  the  name  of  the  patron  saint  of 
the  craft. 

Croak  (Eng.),  to  die. 

Croaker  (Eng.),  one  who  takes  a  despondent  view  of  every- 
thing.    From  the  ominous  croaking  of  a  crow  or  raven. 

Croaker  (Eng.),  a  beggar. 


82  CRO 

Croaks  (Eng.),  murderer's  confessions;  last  dying  speeches. 

Crock  (Am.),  an  earthenware  pot. 

Crocodile  tears,  the  tears  of  a  hypocrite.  See  Othello. 
Ancient  travelers  fabled  that  crocodiles  wept  to  attract  the 
attention  of  persons  whom  they  then  devoured. 

Crone  (Eng.),  an  old  woman. 

Crony,  an  intimate  friend.     See  Chum  and  Pal. 

Crook  (Am.),  a  thief. 

Crooked  (Am.),  anything  stolen. 

Crooked  men,  or  familiarly  "crooks,"  are  thieves  and  crim- 
inals generally. 

Crooked  stick  (Eng.),  an  ugly  tempered  person. 

Crooked  whisky  (Am.),  that  upon  which  the  government 
tax  has  not  been  paid. 

Crook  one's  elbow,  to  drink. 

Crop  (Eng.),  to  cut  short.  See  County  crop.  Dog's 
ears  are  cropped. 

Crop  (Eng.),  a  hunting  whip. 

Cropped  or  Topped  (Eng.),  hanged. 

Cropper  (Am.),  one  who  cultivates  a  farm  for  a  share  of 
the  crop. 

Cropper  (Eng.),  a  fall  in  the  hunting  field.  To  "come  a 
cropper  is  applied  also  to  a  business  failure  or  to  disasters 
generally. 

Croppies,  an  opprobrious  term  applied  to  the  Irish.  "Crop- 
pies, lie  down"  is  a  line  of  a  well-known  song. 

Crop-up  (Eng.),  to  turn  up  in  the  course  of  conversation. 

Cross,  in  the  sporting  world,  is  an  arrangement  for  a  fight  or 
any  contest  to  be  won  or  lost  irrespective  of  the  merits  of 
the  contestants.  A  "double  cross"  is  where  the  man  who 
has  "put  up  the  job"  plays  straight  at  the  last  and  swindles 
his  associate  swindler. 


CRO— CRU  83 

C5w>ss,  "on  the"  (Eng.),  crooked,  dishonest. 

Cross-crib  (Eng.),  a  house  frequented  by  thieves. 

Grossman  (Eng.),  a  thief;  a  dishonest  or  crooked  person. 

Crow  (Am.),  to  exult  over  another  as  a  cock  does  after  a 
victorious  battle. 

Crow,  a  lookout  for  thieves.  Crows  when  foraging  always 
set  some  of  their  number  to  watch  and  give  the  alarm. 

Crow,  to  eat  crow  (Am.).  To  take  back  what  one  has  said. 
Politicians  are  sometimes  compelled  to  eat  considerable  crow 
after  an  unsuccessful  campaign.  The  story  goes  that  a 
soldier  shot  the  pet  crow  of  a  citizen,  who,  securing  the 
soldier's  gun,  forced  the  man  to  eat  a  part  of  the  unsavory 
bird.  When  the  citizen  returned  the  gun  to  the  soldier  the 
latter  compelled  the  owner  to  finish  the  crow.  The  citizen 
complained  to  the  commanding  officer,  who  had  the  men 
paraded  and  the  soldier  picked  out.  "Do  you  know  this 
gentleman?"  said  the  officer.  "Yes,  sir,  took  breakfast 
with  him  this  morning,"  was  the  answer. 

Crowbait,  an  aged  and  decrepit  horse,  only  fit  to  feed  the 
crows. 

Crowd  (Am.),  a  company  or  gathering  of  any  size. 

Crowdie  (Scotch),  oatmeal  porridge. 

Crowding  the  mourners  (Am.),  pressing  one  too  hard ;  pre- 
suming on  good  nature.  Mourners  at  a  funeral  have  the 
first  right  to  the  carriages  provided  and  are  sometimes 
crowded  by  outsiders  and  chronic  attendants  at  such  occa- 
sions. 

Crow's  feet  (Eng.),  wrinkles  in  the  corners  of  the  eye«. 

Crow  to  pick  or  Bone  to  pick  (Eng.),  a  quarrel  to  settle. 

Cruel  (Am.),  used  as  a  substitute  for  very,  exceedingly. 

Crumbs,  "to  pick  up"  (Eng.),  to  be  getting  a  living,  or  im- 
proving in  appetite,  health  or  circumstances. 

Crunimy  (Eng.),  fat.     In  Cockney  slang,  lousy. 


84  CRU— CUR 

Crummy-doss  (Eng.),  a  lousy,  filthy  bed. 

Cruncli  (Eng.),  to  crush. 

Crush  (Eng.),  to  run  away. 

Crush  (Eng.),  a  crowd. 

Crusher  (Eng.),  a  policeman. 

Crush-hat  (Eng.),  an  opera  hat. 

Crushing  (Eng.),  used  as  an  adjective,  much  in  the  same 
way  as  "jolly"  or  "awfully,"  as  "a  crushing  good  time." 

Crusty  (Eng.),  ill-tempered,  morose. 

Crutch  and  toothpick  brigade,  the  name  invented  by  the 
London  Punch  for  the  dude  element. 

Cub,  a  mannerless  youth;  a  lout. 

Cuddy  (Scotch),  a  donkey. 

Cue  (Eng.),  the  signal  to  an  actor  to  reply  to  another,  or  for 
the  curtain  to  fall,  or  the  band  to  strike  up. 

Cuffey  (Am.),  a  negro. 

Cuffin  (Old  Cant),  a  man. 

Cul-de-sac  (Fr.),  the  bottom  of  the  bag;  a  street  with  no 
outlet,  or  blind  passage. 

Cull  or  Cully  (Gip.),  a  man  or  boy.  Generally  qualified  as 
a  ''rum  cull"  or  "queer  cull."  Cully  is  almost  a  term  of 
endearment. 

Cumber  (Old  Eng.),  trouble. 

Cummer  or  Kimmer  (Scotch),  a  gossip  or  intimate  ac- 
quaintance. 

Cunning  (Am.),  pretty,  small,  neat,  cute. 

Cupboard  love,  the  sentiment  entered  by  the  London  police- 
man for  the  cook. 

Curbstone  broker  (Am.),  a  hanger-on  of  Boards  of  Trade 
or  Stock  Exchanges,  who  does  his  business  on  the  sidewalk ; 
an  irregular  speculator  with  the  street  for  his  place  of  busi- 
ness and  his  ofiice  in  his  hat. 


\ 


CUR— CUT  85 

Cure  (cockney),  probably  from  curiosity;  a  funny  fellow. 

Curios,  abbreviation  for  curiosities;  bric-a-brac. 

Curious  (Eng.),  often  used  for  excellent,  as  "curious  wines." 

Curious  books  are  those  which  are  "off-color." 
Curlicue  (Am.),  a  fantastic  ornament. 
Currency  lads,  native-born  Australians. 
Curtain  raiser,  in  theatrical  language  means  a  one-act  farce 

which   precedes  the  drama  of   the   evening.     In   French 

lever  de  rideau. 
Cushion-smiter  or  Tub-thumper  or  Bible-banger  (Eng. ), 

a  clergyman. 
Cuss  (Am.),  a  corruption  of  curse.     Applied  to  a  man  as  an 

"ugly  cuss." 
Cussedness  (Am.),  malice,  spite. 
Customer  (Eng.),  a  man;  a  "rum  customer,"  a  bad  one  to 

tackle  or  a  queer  fellow. 
Customer  (Old  Eng.),  a  common  woman. 
Cut,  has    many    meanings.     "Cut  and   run"  is  to  quit  work 

and  start  off;  "cut  it,"  to  desist;  "cut  that,"  be  quiet;  "cut 

your  stick,"  go  at  once;  "cut  your  lucky,"  the  same;  "cut 

up  rough,"  to  become  obstreperous;  "cut  one's  eye  teeth," 

wide-awake,  knowing. 
Cut,  drunk. 

Cut,  to  ignore  an  acquaintance. 

Cut,  to  take  cards  from  a  pack  to  decide  who  shall  deal. 
Cut  and  dried  (Eng.),  prepared  or  arranged  in  advance. 
Cuta  or  Center  (Gip.),  an  English  sovereign  or  pound. 
Cut  a  splurge,  to  make  a  show  or  great  display. 
Cute  (Am.),  abbreviation  of  acute. 
Cuteness,  keenness. 

Cutof  one's  jib,  the  appearance  of  a  man. 
Cut-ofr  (Am,),  where  a  river  forms  a  new  channel  for  itself 


86  CUT 

by  cutting  through  a  bend;  a  common  occurrence  on  the 
Mississippi.     See  Mark  Twain's  river  stories. 

Cut  out  (Eng.),  defeated. 

Cutter  (Am.),  a  sleigh. 

Cutter  (Old  Eng.),  a  highwayman,  a  thief.  Gutter's 
Law  was  the  rule  which  governed  outlaws  in  their  deal- 
ings with  each  other. 

Cutting  a  swathe  (Am.),  same  as  Cuttino  a  dash. 

Cutting  capers  or  Cutting  shines  (Eng.),  playing   tricks. 

Cutting  it  fat  (Eng.),  overdoing  it;  making  an  extortionate 
profit. 

Cut  up  didoes  (Eng.),  to  play  tricks. 

Cutty  (Eng.),  a  short  clay  pipe. 

Cutty  (Scotch),  short.     See  Tain  CShanterx 

"Tam  roars  out  'Weel  done,  cutty  sark,' 
And  in  an  instant  all  was  dark." 

Cut-under,  to  undersell  in  price. 

Cut  up  rough,  to  behave  badly. 

Cut  up  well,  is  said  of  a  wealthy  man  who  dies  and  leaves  a 

large  fortune. 

Cut  your  lucky  (Eng.),  get  away;  run  off. 

Cut  your  stick  (Eng.),  leave  at  once. 


D 


Dab  or  Dabster  (Eng.),  an  expert. 

Daddle  (Eng.),  the  hand. 

Daddy  (Eng.),  the  stage  manager  of  a  theatre.    Also  a 

childish  diminutive  for  father. 
Daddy  longrlegrs  (Eng.),  a  small  insect  with  very  long  legs. 

Dade  or  Dadi  (Gip.),  a  father.  In  English  and  Cymric, 
Dad. 

Daft  (Scotch),  silly;  a  harmless  lunatic. 

Dago  (Am.),  a  name  given  in  the  United  States  to  the  low- 
class  Italians  and  Sicilians.  Said  to  be  derived  from  the 
Spanish  Diego. 

Dago-shop,  a  low  saloon  or  resort  for  depraved  men  and 
women,  conducted  by  a  Dago. 

Dags  (Eng.),  a  corruption  of  daring.  "I'll  do  your  dagi," 
I'll  do  anything  you  dare. 

Daisy,  a  young  girl. 

Daisy-cutter,  applied  to  a  horse  which  trots  or  gallops  with- 
out lifting  its  feet  far  from  the  ground.  Also  in  the  base- 
ball field  to  a  straight  "liner"  which  does  not  rise  high. 

Damage,  the  cost.  "What's  the  damage?"  how  much  is  to 
pay.  Sometimes  varied  to  "What  is  the  extortion?"  In 
England  the  biU\  in  France  V addition. 

Damaged  (Am.),  intoxicated. 

Damp  (Am.),  a  drink. 

Damper  (Eng.),  a  till  or  money  drawer. 

Damper,  an   Australian  term  for  a  cake,  unleavened,  and 

baked  in  the  coals. 

9i 


88  DAM— DAR 

Damper  (Eng.),  "to  put  a  damper  on,"  to  discourage. 
Equivalent  to  "throw  cold  water"  on  a  scheme. 

Dan  to  Beersheba,  the  extreme  length  of  Ancient  Pales- 
tine ;  an  expression  used  to  signify  great  distance.  A  mod- 
ern equivalent  is  "from  Jones's  tavern  to  the  forks  of  the 
road." 

Dance  upon  nothingr  (Eng.),  to  be  hanged. 

Dander  (Am.),  anger,  passion.  To  "get  one's  dander  up" 
is  to  get  in  a  passion. 

Dandy,  a  fop.  Byron  uses  the  word,  which  originated  about 
1816.  Prior  to  that  time  "macaroni"  was  the  word. 
Later  English  is  "swell"  and  sometimes  "toff."  In  the 
United  States  "dude"  is  much  used. 

Dandy  (Irish),  a  small  glass  of  whisky. 

Dandypratt  (Old  Eng.),  a  little  fellow;  a  mannikin. 

Danites  or  Destroying  angels  (Am.),  an  organization  with- 
in the  Mormon  ranks  for  the  purpose  of  putting  out  of  the 
way  obnoxious  Gentiles  and  apostate  Mormons.  They 
committed  many  murders,  but  their  leader,  Lee,  was  finally, 

4  executed  for  his  share  in  the  "Mountain  Meadow"  massacre 
and  the  society  exists  no  longer,  at  least  for  purposes  of  as- 
sassination. 

Darbies  (Old  Cant),  handcuffs.  Sir  Walter  Scott  uses  the 
term  in  Peverilofthe  Peak. 

Darby  and  Joan,  an  old  married  couple. 

Dark,  blind. 

Dark  (Eng.),  secret,  as  "Keep  it  dark.'* 

Dark  and  bloody  gfround  (Am.),  Kentucky. 

Dark  horse  (Eng.),  one  of  whom  little  is  known, but  who 
may  prove  dangerous  in  a  race. 

Darkmans  (Gip.),  night. 

Darky  (Am.),  a  negro. 


DAR— DEA  89 

Dam  (Am.),  a  euphemism  for  damn. 

Dash  (Eng.),  fire,  vigor. 

Dash,  an  ejaculation  much  in  favor  with  the  "heavy  father" 
on  the  stage,  who  in  the  old  comedies  "dashes  his  wig,"  his 
buttons  and  everything  else. 

Dashingr  (Eng.),  showy,  fast. 

David's  sow,  "drunk  as,"  the  exact  state  of  intoxication  at- 
tained by  this  animal  is  unrecorded,  but  he  probably  got 
along  as  far  as  his  brother,  "St.  Anthony's  pig." 

Davy  (Eng.),  "on  my  davy,"  or  Alfred  Davy;  on  my  affi- 
davit. 

Davy's  locker  (Sea  term),  the  bottom  of  the  sea.  Some- 
times Davy  Jones's  locker. 

Dawdle  (Eng.),  to  loiter  or  fritter  away  time. 

Daylights  (Gip.),  eyes. 

Dazed  (Eng.),  confounded  or  bewildered. 

Deacon  (Am.),  to  deacon  berries  is  to  place  the  best  fruit  on 
top,  a  practice  not  entirely  unknown  outside  of  church  cir- 
cles. "All  deacons  are  good,  but  there's  odds  in  deacons," 
is  a  Yankee  proverb. 

Deacon  (Am.),  to  deacon  off  a  hymn  is  to  give  it  out  line  by 
line. 

Deacon  (Am.);  the  skin  of  a  very  young  calf,  which  has 
been  "killed  to  save  its  life,"  is  known  as  a  "deacon." 

Dead-alive  (Eng.),  stupid, dull. 

Dead-beat  (Eng.),  exhausted,  "done  up." 

Dead  beat  (Am.),  a  fellow  who  borrows  money  or  obtains 
credit  on  all  kinds  of  pretenses  and  pays  nobody.  With 
a  wholesome  fear  of  the  law  he  keeps  just  outside  of  the 
statutes  against  fraud,  and  he  seldom  possesses  the  qualities 
of  a  first-class  swindler. 

Dead-broke  (Am.),  out  of  cash;  penniless. 


90  DEA 

Dead  gon'i  (Am.), infatuated.  A  girl  is  *<dead  gone"  on  a 
man  or  vice  versa. 

Dead-head  (Am.),  one  who  has  free  admission  to  theatres 
or  free  rides  on  railroads,  etc. 

Dead-heat  (Eng.),  when  two  horses  in  a  race  finish  so  close 
together  tnat  the  judges  are  unable  to  decide  between 
them. 

Dead  horse,  "working  on  the"  (Eng.),  doing  work  which 
has  been  paid  for  in  advance. 

Dead  letter,  an  action  of  no  value  or  weight.  Letters  gone 
astray  in  the  postofRce  or  which  fail  to  reach  their  owners. 

Dead  loads  (Am.),  a  great  quantity  of  anything. 

Dead-lock,  a  standstill.  Perhaps  the  most  famous  is  that  in 
the  Criticy  when  Mr.  Puff  gets  all  his  characters  with 
their  daggers  at  each  other's  throats. 

Dead  man  (Eng.),  a  baker.  Dead  man  or  "dead  'un"  prop- 
erly means  an  extra  loaf  smuggled  into  the  basket  by  the 
journeyman.  Sometimes  it  represents  an  extra  loaf 
charged  to  the  customer  but  not  delivered. 

Dead  men  (Eng.),  empty  bottles. 

Deadmen's  shoes,  "waiting  for"  (Eng.),  is  considered  a 
wearisome  task. 

Dead  money  (Eng.),  bets  laid  by  a  bookmaker  early  in  the 
racing  season  against  horses  which  are  struck  out  before  the 
race,  and  on  which  the  bookmaker  of  course  wins  the 
amount  deposited  by  the  backer. 

Dead  nuts,  to  be  "dead  nuts"  on  one  is  to  be  in  love  with  or 
fascinated  with  the  person. 

Dead  rabbit  (Am.),  a  loafer  or  tough;  the  Baltimore  equiv- 
alent for  the  New  York  plug-ugly,  the  ward  striker  or 
heeler,  the  saloon  loafer  and  political  bummer  and  thug 
everywhere. 

Dead-set  (Eng.),  a  pointed  and  persistent  attack  on  a  per- 


DEA— DEU  91 

Dead  soldier  (Eng.),  an  empty  bottle. 

Dead  to  rights  ^Am.),  certain,  positive.      Having   a  man 

"dead  to  rights    is  said  by  officers  who  have  found  absolute 

proof  of  crime  against  him. 
Dead  *im,  a  horse  which  it  is  known  is  not  meant  to  win. 

It  is  known  also  as  a  Shtumer  or  Safe  'un  (j'.  v.) 
Deaner  (Gip.  denier)^  an  English  shilling. 
Dear  me,  an  English  ejaculation  derived,   probably,  from 

Dio  mio. 
Death  (Eng.),  **dressed  to  death"  or  "dressed  to  kill,"  the 

extreme  of  fashion. 
Death  (Am.),  "to  be  death  on"  anything  is  to  be  completely 

master  of  the  subject  or  devoted  to  it. 
Deck  (Old  Eng.),  a  pack  of  cards.    See  Shakespeare,  King 

Henry  /F,  v,  j.     General  in  the  U.  S.;    not  used  now  in 

England. 
Deeor  D,  a  pocketbook;  a  detective. 
Deed  (Am.),  to  convey  property  by  deed  or  assignment. 
Deft  (Old),  clever,  neat. 
DeU  (Gip.),  a  girl. 

Demi-rep  (Eng.),  a  courtesan;   one  of  demi-monde  reputa- 
tion. 
Depot  (French),  a  railway  station. 
Derrick.    This  word,  now  in  common  use  in  the  United 

States  to  signify  a  scaffold-like  construction  to  support  a 

crane,  is  derived  from  the  name  of  an  English  hangman, 

who  flourished  early  in  the  17th  century. 
Derringer  (Am.),  a  revolver. 
Destroying  angels  (Am.),  see  Danites,  ante 
Dence,  of  cards,  dice  or  dominoes,  the  two  spot. 
Deuce,  a  euphemism  for  the  devil.    Said  to  be  a  corruption 

of  Deus  or  Zeus. 


92  DEV— DIG 

Devil  (Eng.),  the  Attorney  General's  devil,  a  young  lawyer 
who  assists  in  getting  up  cases  for  his  leader. 

Devil-dodger  (Eng.),  a  clergyman;  also  one  who  attends 
church  semi-occasionally  only. 

Devilled  bones  (Eng.),  the  "drumsticks"  of  a  fowl, 
sprinkled  with  cayenne  pepper  and  grilled. 

Devil,  printer's,  (Eng.),  the  press-boy,  messenger  or  ap- 
prentice  in  a  printing  office.  It  is  said  that  Fust,  the  orig- 
inal printer,  employed  a  negro  boy,  wkom  the  ignorant 
populace  thought  was  the  devil. 

Devil*s  delight  (Eng.),  a  row. 

Devil's  picture  books,  cards.  Burns  uses  the  expression  in 
The  Ttva  Dogs. 

Devil's  teeth  or  Devil's  bones  (Eng.),  dice. 

Dew-beaters  (Old  Eng.),  feet. 

Dibs  or  Dibbs  (Old  Eng.),  money. 

Dice  or  Dicer  (Am.),  a  silk  hat.     See  also  Tile. 

Dickens,  the  devil.  See  Shakespeare,  Merry  Wives  of 
Windsor. 

Dicker  (Am.),  a  bargain  or  trade.  Used  as  a  verb,  to  dicker 
is  to  bargain. 

Dickey  (Eng.),  an  imitation  shirt  front. 

Dickey  (Eng.),  a  seat  on  a  stage  coach  or  traveling  carriage 
usually  occupied  by  a  servant. 

Dickey  (Eng.),  inferior,  sick,  poor. 

Dicky  (Old  Eng.),  a  donkey. 

Diddle,  to  cheat  or  defraud.  Jeremy  Diddler,  in  the  old 
farce  of  Raising  the  Wind^  was  a  type  of  this  petty  fraud. 

Didoes,  "to  cut  up,"  to  play  tricks  or  capers.  Possibly  from 
"Widow"  Dido's  relations  with  yEneas. 

Dig  (Eng.),  a  blow;  "a  dig  in  the  ribs." 

Diggers  (Eng.),  spurs.     Also  the  spades  in  cards. 


DIG— DIT 


98 


Digrgrings  (Eng.),  lodgings. 

Digging  up  tlie  hatchet  (Am.),  Indians  when  about  to 
commence  war  are  said  to  dig  up  the  war-hatchet.  See 
Burying  the  hatchet,  ante. 

Dight  (Old  Eng.),  to  clean  or  dress. 

Dig  out  (Am.),  to  go  away. 

Dike  (Scotch),  a  ditch  or  wall. 

Dilly-daUy  (Eng.),  to  trifle. 

Dimmock,  money. 

Dinarly,  from  the  Latin  Denarius^  money. 

Ding  (Old  Eng.  and  Scotch),  to  strike;  a  heavy  blow. 

Dingy,  a  flat-bottomed  boat. 

Dining  with  Duke  Humphrey  (Eng.),  going  without  din- 
ner. 

Dipper  (Am.),  a  bowl  with  a  handle.  The  constellation  of 
the  Great  Bear,  called  in  England  Charles's  Wain,  is  known 
in  the  United  States  as  the  Dipper. 

Dirt  (Am.),  real  estate;  any  kind  of  earth.  Miners  speak 
of  "poor  dirt"  and  "pay  dirt." 

Dirt,  "to  eat"  (Eng.),  to  humble  oneself.  From  the  Orien- 
tal  practice  or  grovelling  on  the  earth  in  the  presence  of  a 
superior. 

Disgruntled  (Am.),  disappointed,  disconcerted. 

Disgruised  (Eng.),  in  drink. 

Dish,  to  suppress  or  defeat.  Earl  Derby  boasted  that  he 
had  "dished  the  Whigs,"  when  he  partly  adopted  their  pol- 
icy and  "stole  their  thunder." 

Disrememher  (Am.),  to  forget. 
Distressed,  wretched,  miserable. 

Dittoes  (Eng.),  a  suit  of  clothes,  all  the  pieces  of  the  same 
material. 


94  DIT— DOG 

Ditty-bag,  a  sailor's  bag  containing  his  thread,  needles,  etc., 

for  mending  his  clothes. 
Dive  (Am.),  a  basement  saloon,  wine   room  or  low   variety 

show. 
Diver  (Eng.),  a  pickpocket. 
Divide  (Am.),  the  mountain  ridge  which  forms  a  backbone 

of  the  country  and  divides  the  watersheds  of  the  rivers. 
Divy  (Am.),  an  abbreviation  of  dividend;   the  share  coming 

to  each  person. 
Dixie  (Am.),  the  South. 
Do  or  Done,  has  a  dozen   meanings,  such  as  to  cheat,  to 

knock  out  in  a  prize-fight,  or  briefly  to   accomplish   any- 
thing.   "I  done  him"  means  I  cheated  him,  while  to  "do 

one  up"  means  to  thrash  him. 
Dock,  to  cut  down  one's  wages. 

Dock-walloper  (Am.),  a  laborer  on  the  wharves  or  docks. 
Doctor  (Eng.),  to  adulterate  or  to  drug  or  poison.     A  ship's 

cook  is  called  "the  doctor"  by  the  sailors. 
Dodge,  a  trick,  to  dodge,  to  escape.     The  "Artful  Dodger" 

will  be  remembered  by  all   readers  of  Dickens'  Oliver 

Twist. 
Dodger  (Eng.),  a  drink. 

Dodger  (Am.),  a  cake  of  meal.     See  Corn-dodger,  ante. 
Dodman  (Eng.),  a  snail.     See  David  Cofferfield. 
Dog,  to  follow  a  person's  footsteps  as  a  dog  would  do;   to 

spy. 
Dog-cheap,  very  cheap;  far  below  the  actual  value. 
Doggery  (Am.),  a  low  "dive"  or  unlicensed  whisky  shop. 
Doggone  (Am.),  a  mild  form  of  oath — dog  being  God  trans 

posed. 
Dog's  age,  a  long  time.    See  Coon's  Agb. 
Dogs  ears,  the  curled  corners  of  the  leaves  of  a  book. 


DOG— DON  95 

Dogs,  "gone  to  the,"  ruined.  An  old  or  worthless  horse  sold 
to  feed  hounds  goes  to  the  dogs. 

Dog's  nose  (Eng.),  a  mixture  of  gin  and  beer.  Otherwise 
known  as  "a  h'aporth  and  a  penn'orth."  That  is,  one 
cent's  worth  of  beer  and  two  cents'  worth  of  gin. 

Dog-tired,  played  out ;  like  a  dog  after  a  hard  day's  run. 

I>og,  "too  much"  (Am.),  is  the   equivalent  for  "too  mucn 

side"  or  style. 
Doing  time  (Eng.),  working  out  a  prison  sentence. 
Doings  (Am.),  prepared  food;  otherwise  fixings. 

Doldrums,  a  sea  term  for  difficulties  or  low  spirits.  A  sail- 
ing vessel  in  a  calm  is  in  the  doldrums. 

Dollar  (  E  ng. ) ,  five  shillings.     Half  a  dollar,  two  shillings  and 

sixpence. 
Dollar  of  the  dads  (Am.),  the  41 2  J^  grain   silver  dollar, 

claimed  to  be  the  coin  favored   by  the  fathers  of  the  re- 
public. 
Dollop  (Old  Eng.),  a  lump.     From  the  Anglo-Saxon  dole^ 

a  portion. 
DoUy-shop  (Eng.),  an  unlicensed  pawn-shop.     These  were 

originally  rag  shops  or  junk  shops,  and  had  for  a  sign  a 

black  doll. 
Domestics  (Am.),  cotton  goods. 
Dominie  (Scotch),  a  school -master.     In  the  United  States 

often  applied  to  a  clergyman.     From  the  Latin  Dominus^ 

master. 
Domino,  the  last. 
Dominoes  (Eng.),  or  box  of  ivories,  the  teeth. 

Don  (Eng.),  the  Head  or  master  of  a  college  or  the  Fellows. 
Don  as  an  adjective  means  a  smart  or  clever  fellow,  as  "Hd 
is  a  don  at  billiards." 


96  DON— DOU 

Dona  (Gip.),  probably  from  the  Spanish  Donna^  a  girl  or 
woman. 

Donate  (Am.),  to  contribute;  to  give. 

Donation  party  (Am.).  In  the  rural  districts  church  mem- 
bers sometimes  supplement  the  meagre  salary  of  their  pas- 
tor by  descending  upon  him  in  a  body,  each  person  carry- 
ing a  load  of  groceries  or  other  useful  articles  which  are 
presented  to  him.  The  affair  partakes  of  the  nature  of  a 
jollification,  and  it  is  said  that  sometimes,  thanks  to  the 
healthy  appetites  of  the  visitors,  the  "dominie's"  larder  is 
emptier  after  they  leave  than  before  they  came. 

Done  (Am.),  is  used  by  Southern  negroes,  "done  gone"  or 
"done  come,"  etc. 

Done  (Eng.),  cheated.     See  Do. 

Done  brown  (Eng.),  completely  swindled. 

Done  up  (Eng.),  finished,  beaten. 

Donnet  (Scotch),  a  stupid  person. 

Dope,  to  dose,  to  poison. 

Dorados  (Gip.),  gold  pieces. 

Dornick  (Am.),  a  stone  or  "rock." 

Dose  (Eng.),  a  sufficiency,  either  of  thrashing  or  drink 

Doss  (Gip.),  a  bed,  or  to  sleep.     Perhaps  from  doze. 

Dossing-ken  (Gip.),  a  lodging  house. 

Do  tell  (Am.),  a  Yankeeism  for  "really,"  "indeed.* 

Double  (Eng.),  to  turn  or  dodge,  as  a  hare  does  when  pur- 
sued. 

Double-decker  (Am.),  two  "cocktails,"  or  other  morning 
refreshers  in  one;  a  drink  for  a  thirsty  man. 

Double  harness  (Eng.),  wedded  life. 

Double  set  up,  two  kinds  of  bread  served  in  a  restaurant. 

Double-shuffle,  a  dance  of  the  flip-flap  order. 

Double  up  (Eng.),  to  beat  severely. 


DOU— DOX  97 

Douce  (Scotch),  wise,  careful,  pious  and  most  of  the  other  vir- 
tues combined.  Such  a  character  as  "Douce  David  Deans** 
in  the  Heart  of  Midlothian. 

Dough,  money. 

Doughface  (Am.),  according  to  Lowell  "a  contented  licks- 
pittle, a  common  variety  of  Northern  politician."  The 
genus  was  common  enough  in  Congress  and  outside  that 
body  during  slavery  times. 

Dough-head,  a  stupid  fellow. 

Doughy  (Eng.),  a  baker. 

Douse  the  glim  (Gip.),  put  out  the  light. 

Down£ast  (Am.),  New  England. 

Down  in  the  mouth  (Eng.),  disconsolate. 

Down  on  a  man,  to  detect  his  tricks.  Also  to  dislike  or  to 
be  opposed  to  a  person. 

Down  on  your  luck  (Am.),  unfortunate,  miserable. 

Downs,  "all  m  the'*  (Eng.),  miserable.  See  All  in  the 
DOWNS,  ante. 

Down  the  road  (Eng.),  fancy,  stylish,  showy. 

Down  to  the  ground  (Am.),  entirely.  "That  suits  me 
down  to  the  ground.'*  Up  to  the  handle  has  the  same 
meaning. 

Downy  (Eng.),  knowing,  cunning.  A  "downy  cove"  is  a 
sharper;  one  who  is  "fly.** 

Dowry  (Gip.),  a  lot.  A  "dowry"  of  "pamy"  is  a  lot  of 
rain. 

Do  you  see  any  green  in  my  eye  (Eng.),  a  common  inquiry 
when  a  catch  or  fraud  is  attempted. 

Dojcy  (Gip.),  a  girl.  An  English  bishop  asked  to  define  ortho- 
doxy said,  "Orthodoxy  is  my  doxy ;  heterodoxy  is  another 
man*s  doxy.**  Sometimes  spelt  Doxis  and  applied  to  little 
girls  as  a  term  of  endearment. 


98  DRA— DRE 

Drab  (Old  Eng.),  a  low  woman.     Used  by  Shakespeare. 
Draff,  brewer's  grains  or  swill  fed  to  hogs.    "Still  swine  eat 

all  the  draff." — Old  Proverb. 
Drag:  (Eng.),  feminine  apparel  worn  by  men. 
Dragr  (Eng.),  a  wagon  or  brake  drawn  by  two  or  four  horses. 

Generally  a  "swell  turnout." 
Dragr  (Eng.),  a  street  or  road.     Back  drag,  an  alley  or 

back  street. 
Drag  (Eng.),  three  months  in  jail. 
Drag  (Eng.),  an  anise-seed  bag  used  in  imitation  fox  hunts 

to  furnish  scent  for  the   hounds,  the   bag   being   dragged 

across  country. 
Draggletail  (Old  Eng.),  a  dirty,  slovenly  woman. 

Dragon,  an  English  sovereign,  from  the  St.  George  and 
Dragon  on  the  obverse  of  the  coin. 

Drag  out  (Am.),  a  "knockdown  and  drag  out"  is  a  fight  of  a 
rough  and  tumble  character. 

Drain  (Eng.),  a  drink. 

Draw  has  many  meanings.  A  theatrical  performance 
"draws  good  houses ;"  a  man  can  be  "drawn  on ;"  a  pick- 
pocket "draws  a  wipe"  or  a  "ticker,"  and  a  man  in  a  fight 
"gets  the  draw"  on  his  pistol  in  a  hurry,  if  he  wants  to  get 
the  "drop"  on  his  opponent. 

Draw  (Am.),  the  game  of  draw-poker. 

Draw  a  bead  (Am.),  to  take  aim  with  a  rifle. 

Draw  It  mild  (Eng.),  do  not  exaggerate. 

Draw  one  in  the  dark  (Am.),  a  cheap  restaurant  order  for  a 
cup  of  coffee. 

Draw  the  long  bow,  to  tell  an  extravagant,  Munchausen- 
like  story.     Equivalent  to  "pitching  the  hatchet,"  (^r.  z;.) 

Dreadful,  greatly,  very.  Used  and  misused  like  the  words 
awful  and  awfully,  as  a  dreadful  good  man,  a  dreadful 
fine  house. 


DRE— DUB 


99 


Dressed  to  kill  or  Dressed  to  death  or  Dressed  up  to  the 
nines,  all  mean  the  same  thing,  viz.y  dressed  too  much; 
too  showy. 

Drink  (Am.),  a  river;  any  body  of  water. 

Drive  (Am.),  a  mass  of  logs  accumulated  on  a  stream  and 
floated  down  at  high  water. 

Drive  (Am.),  the  annual  *'round-up"  of  cattle  on  the  plains 
for  the  purpose  of  branding  them. 

Driver  (Am.),  a  hustler;  a  hard  taskmaster. 

Drivingrat,  "What  are  you  driving  at?"  what  are  you  do- 
ing? 

Drop  (Am.),  to  get  the  drop  on  a  man  is  to  pull  and  fire  a 
revolver  before  he  can  get  his  revolver  in  hand. 

Drop  (Eng.),  to  drop  an  acquaintance.  A  mild  form  of  cut- 
ting. 

Dropgtime  (Eng.),  See  Ring  dropping. 

Drop  it  (Eng.),  quit,  let  up. 

Drum  (Eng.),  a  house  or  lodging.  Flash  drum,  a  house 
of  ill-fame. 

Drum  (Eng.),  fashionable  slang  for  a  ball  or  rout,  now  al- 
most obsolete. 

Drum  (Eng.),  the  road. 

Drumble  (Old  Eng.),  to  drone,  to  be  sluggish.  See  Merry 
Wives  of  Windsor. 

Drummer  (Am.)  a  commercial  traveler. 

Drumsticks  (Eng.),  legs. 

Drunk,  a  drinking  bout.     "On  a  big  drunk." 

Dry  up  (Am.),  make  an  end,  quit. 

D.  T,,  Delirium  tremens. 

Dub  or  Dup  (Old  Eng.),  to  open  or  close  a  door. 

Dub  (Eng.),  to  pay  "dub  up,"  pay  up. 

Dubber  (Gip.),  the  tongue. 


lOo  DUB— DUN 

Dubersome  (Am.),  doubtful,  a  corruption  of  dubious. 

Dacats,  money. 

Dude,  a  swell  or  dressy  man.     From  the  old  Gipsy  dttdes^ 

clothes,  that  being  all  there  is  to  the  modern  dude. 
Dndecn  or  Dudheen  (Irish),  a  short  pipe. 
Duds  (Gip.),  clothes. 
DuflF  (Eng.),  pudding. 
Duffer  (Eng.),  anything  worthless.     A  man  of  no  account 

is  a  duffer  and  sham  jewelry  is  duffing. 
Dug-out  (Am.),  a  house  made  by  excavating  the  prairie  and 

throwing  up  the  soil  to  form  sides  and  a  roof. 
Dug-out  (Am.),  a  canoe. 
Duke  Humphrey,  «*to  dine  with"  (Eng.),  to   go  without 

dinner  altogether. 
Dukes  or  Docks  (P.  R.),  the  hands  or  fists.     "Put  up  your 

dukes"  is  an  invitation  to  fight  or  spar. 
Dull  (Eng.),  stupid,  or  hard  of  hearing. 
Dumb-founded  (Eng.),  perplexed  confused. 
Dummy  (Eng.),  a  deaf  mute. 
Dummy  (Eng.),  a  pocket-book. 
Dununy  (Eng.),  an  empty  bottle  or  box,  used  to  fill  up  store 

shelves. 
Dump  (Am.),  to  unload. 
Dump  (Am.),  the  place  at  the  mouth  of  a  coal  pit  where  the 

waste  is  deposited.     Any  place  where  dirt  or  rubbish  is  un- 
loaded. 
Dumpish  (Eng.),  dull,  stupid. 
Dumpy  (Eng.),  short  and  stout;  also  surly. 
Dun,  probably   from  (//;;,  noise;  to  demand  payment  of  a 

bill. 
Dunderhead  (Eng.),  a  blockhead;  a  stupid  person. 


DUN— DYE  loi 

Dnimagre  (Sea  term),  baggage,  clothing. 

Dunop  (Back  slang),  an  English  pound  or  sovereign. 

Dupe  (Am.),  in  printing  office  parlance,  means  the  duplicate 
proofs,  by  which  the  amount  of  matter  set  by  a  compositor 
is  measured;  the  aggregate  "dupes"  pasted  together  form- 
ing his  "string." 

Dumed  or  Darned,  a  corruption  of  damned;  a  Purit«n  oath* 

Dust  (Eng.),  **rai8e  a  dust,"  to  make  a  row. 

Dust  (Eng.),  money. 

Dust  (Eng.),  to  go  away.     "Dust  out  of  this." 

Dust  (Eng.),  to  beat     To  "dust  one's  jacket." 

Duster  (Am.),  an  outside  coat  of  linen  used  when  traveling. 

Dusty,  "not  so"  (Eng.),  not  so  bad. 

Dutch  (Am.),  the  German  people.  Said  to  be  from 
Deutsche  German.  But  200  years  ago  it  was  in  common 
English  use,  and  as  the  early  settlers  of  New  York  were 
Hollanders  and  not  Germans,  the  term  was  adopted  in  this 
country. 

Datcli  courage,  that  which  comes  from  gin. 

"And  there  the  sachem  learnt  the  rule 

He  taught  to  kith  and  kin: 
Ron  from  the  white  man  when  you  find 

He  smells  of  Holland's  gin. 

—0.  W.  Holms. 

Dutch  Uncle.  «I  talked  to  him  like  a  Dutch  uncle"  probably 
has  a  meaning,  but  what  that  es^tly  is  or  whei^ce  the 
phrase  comes  is  unknown.     ■  ^  kMtfJ  W^^^'v'^-i^  "^   — > 

Dyed  in  the  wool  (  Am. ) ,  applied  to  old-tinie  politicians'who       ' 
have  strictly  kept  the   faith,  their  principles,  like  home- 
spun clothing,  being  "dyed  in  the  wooL"    There  are  very 
few  left. 


E 


Eager  (Old  Eng.),  sharp.  See  Hamlet,  ««The  air  biteth 
shrewdly.     *    *     *    *     It  is  a  nipping  and  an  eager  air." 

Eagle  (Am.),  a  ten-dollar  gold  coin.  A  double  eagle  is 
twenty  dollars;  a  half  eagle  five  dollars. 

Ear-bob  (Am.),  an  ear-drop. 

Earmark  (Eng.),  the  token  by  which  anything  is  known. 

£artb,  "wants  the"  (Am.),  said  of  anyone  who  evinces  a 
greedy  disposition. 

Earwig  (Eng.),  a  clergyman. 

Ease  (Eng.),  to  rob. 

East  (Am.).    "About  East"  is  about  right. 

Eathisheadoff  (Eng.),  a  horse  kept  idle  in  the  stable  is 
said  to  do  this. 

Ebony  (Am.),  a  negro.     "God's  image  carved  in  ebony." 

Egg",  *'to  egg  on,"  to  stir  one  up  to  strife.  Probably  from 
the  Anglo-Saxon  eggian.  Grose  gives  it  as  agging^  and 
the  derivation  as  the  French  agacer,  to  provoke. 

Egypt  (Am.),  Southern  Illinois,  either  because  there  is  corn 
in  it  oXy  ^s  its  enemies  say,  because  it  is  the  laud  of  dark- 
ness. 

Elbow,  "to  shake  one's"  (Am.),  to  throw  dice.    "To  crook 

\   one's  elbow,"  to  drink,  from  the  motions  made. 

Elbow  grease  (Eng.),  labor.     Said  by  notable  housewives 

to  be  the  best  kind  of  furniture  polish. 
Elephant,  "to  see  the"  (Am.),  to  "do"  the  town;   to  see  the 

sights,  especially  those  of  an  immoral  character. 


ELE— EVE  103 

Blevated  (Eng.),  Intoxicated. 
Emerald  Isle,  Ireland. 

Empire  State,  the  State  of  New  York.  New  York  City 
is  sometimes  styled  the  Empire  Citj. 

Emptins  (Am.),  yeast. 

Twill  take  more  emptin's  by  a  long  chalk  than  this  new  party's  got 
To  give  such  heavy  cakes  as  these  a  start,  I'll  tell  you  what." 

— Biglow  Papers. 

Enemy,  ««the"  (Eng.),  time.  "What  says  the  enemy  ?"  what 
o'clock  is  it. 

English  (Am.),  in  the  game  of  billiards,  is  the  peculiar 
twist  or  "side"  given  to  the  cue-ball  by  striking  it  on  one 
side  or  the  other. 

Enthuse  (Am.),  to  manifest  delight;  to  become  enthusiastic. 
A  mere  newspaper  barbarism. 

Ephesian  (  Old  Cant ) ,  a  toper.  See  II  King  Henry  I K,  Act 
iiy  Scene  2. 

Essence  peddler  (Am.),  mephitis  mephatica^  the  native 
American  skunk. 

Essex  lion  (Eng.),  a  calf.  The  people  of  Essex,  England, 
are  charged  by  their  neighbors  with  considering  a  calf  a 
wild  beast.  "Essex  calves"  is  the  generic  term  for  the  na- 
tives of  the  county. 

Euchre  (Am.),  to  defraud  or  cheat;  to  beat,  as  one  is  "eu- 
chred" who  fails  to  make  his  point  at  the  card  game  of 
that  name. 

Eventuate  (Am.),  to  happen.  Often  used,  but  not  good 
English. 

Ever  faithfal  isle,  Cuba. 

Everlasting,  great,  exceeding. 

Everlasting  staircase  (Eng.),  the  treadmill,  better  known 
as  the  "mill." 

Every  which  way  (Am.),  anyhow,  anyway. 


I04  EXC— EYE 

Exchange  (Am.),  a  euphemism  for  a  drinking  shop  or 
saloon. 

Ex*s,  expenses. 

Eye-opener,  a  morning  drink. 

Eye's  skinned,  "to  keep  one's,"  to  be  on  the  alert;  watch- 
ful. 

Eye  teeth,  "to  cut  one's,"  to  be  wide-awake ;  sharp. 

Eye  water  (Eng.),  gin. 


Face  (Eng.),  to  run  one*s  face,  to  obtain  credit;  impudence. 
Facer  (P.  R.),  a  blow  in  the  face.     In  Ireland  a  stiff   drink 

of  whisky. 
Face  the  music  (Am.),  to  meet  the  emergency;  to  stand  up 

against  trouble.     "To  come  up  to  the  scratch,"  or  to  "toe 

the  mark." 
Fad  (Eng.),  a  hobby. 

Fadgre  (Eng.),  a  farthing;  one-fourth  of  an  English  penny. 
Fadge  (Old  Eng.),  a  burden. 

Fadgre  (Shakespeare),  to  suit.     See  Lovers  Labor  Lost. 
Fagr  (Eng.),  a  lower  school-boy  in  the  English  public  schools 

who  performs  menial  offices  and  fetches  and  carries  for  his 

elder  schoolmates.     See  Thomas  Hughes'  Tom  Brown  at 

Rugby. 
Faggott  (Eng.),  a  collection  of  odds  and  ends  of  meat,  pop- 
ular among  the  London  poor.     It   consists  of   "fag-ends." 
Faggott    (Eng.),   an    opprobrious   term   used   by   English 

women  of  the  lower  class  in  speaking  of  one  of  their  own 

sex. 
Fair  and  square,  honorable,  straightforward. 
Fairings  (Eng.),  gifts  brought  from  a  country  fair. 
Fair  off  (Am.),  said  of  clearing  weather. 
Fair  shake,  "to  give  one  a"  (Am.),  is  to  use  him  properly; 

to  give  him  a  fair  chance. 
Fake  (Eng.),  to   cheat   or   swindle;    otherwise   to   go   on. 

"Fake  away"  is  an  encouragement  given  by  thieves  to  their 

pals.     See  Ainsworth's  Jack  Shefhard. 

105 


io6  FAK— FAR 

Fake  (Eng.),  to  hocus  or  poison  a  horse  with  a  view  to 

making  him  safe  in  a  race. 
Fake  (Am.),  has  come  to  mean  in  the  United  States  a  story 

without   foundation.     Some  persons,   known  as  "fakirs," 

have  achieved  an  unenviable  reputation  in  press  circles  by 

their  indulgence  in  this  practice. 
Fakement  (Eng.),  a  begging  petition  or  writing  of  any 

kind.     In  effect,  anything  new  or  strange  is  a  fakement. 

Fall,  "riding  for  a"  (Eng.);  in  the  hunting  field  and  when 
steeple-chasing,  if  a  rider  finds  that  he  has  no  chance  to 
win  he  sometimes  "rides  for  a  fall,"  that  is,  picks  out  a  soft 
place  to  be  thrown  off.  Business  men  in  difficulties  fix 
their  books  so  that  when  the  inevitable  crash  comes  there 
is  something  left  for  them,  and  thus  ride  for  a  fall. 

Fall  (Am.),  the  season  of  autumn,  when  the  leaves  fall. 

Fal-lals  (Eng.),  trumpery  ornaments  or  gew-gawsj  super- 
fluous ribbons,  etc. 

Fallingr  weather  (Am.),  rainy  or  snowy  weather. 

Fambles  (Old  Cant),  the  hands. 

Family,  "the"  (of  thieves).  The  predatory  class  speak  of 
each  other  as  of  "the  family."  See  Father  Prout  and 
Ainsworth. 

Fancy  (Eng.),  the  prize  ring  and  its  adherents.  The  para- 
mour of  a  prostitute  is  known  as  her  "fancy  man." 

Fandango  (Sp.),  a  dance. 

Fanning  (Eng.),  stealing. 

Fanning,  a  beating. 

Faniking  aroond,  making  a  good  deal  of  fuss  about  noth- 
ing. 

Fantegue  or  Fanteeg,  bewilderment,  flustration. 

Fardel,  a  burden.  See  Hamlet:  "Who  would  fardels 
bear?" 


FAR— FEA  I<j7 

Fardowner  (Irish),  a  native  of  Connaught. 

Fash  (Scotch),  to  bother,  to  trouble  or  tease. 

Fast,  gay,  thoughtless,  inclined  to  dissipation.  Alleged  by 
Hotten  to  be  an  Americanism,  but  without  authority. 

Fast,  tied  up  for  want  of  money. 

Fast  and  loose,  "to  play"  (Eng,),  to  equivocate  or  dodge. 

Fat,  in  the  language  of  the  printer  (compositor)  means  the 
void  spaces  in  a  page,  for  which  he  is  paid  at  the  same  rate 
as  for  solid  matter.  Actors  talk,  too,  of  "fat"  parts.  Some- 
times spelled  "phat"  by  phonetically  inclined  "comps." 

Father  (Eng.),  a  fence  or  receiver  of  stolen  property.  Prac- 
tically the  same  thing  as  "Uncle"  when  applied  to  "shady" 
pawn-brokers. 

Favor  (Old  Eng.),  to  resemble. 

Favorite,  in  racing  parlance  the  horse  which  stands  best  in 
the  betting.  A  "hot  favorite"  may  start  with  money  on 
him,  that  is  odds  may  be  laid  that  he  will  win  even  though 
there  are  several  horses  in  the  race. 

Fawney  (Old  Cant),  a  ring.  The  Fawney-ri©  is  the  old 
ring-dropping  trick,  where  the  operator  pretends  to  pick 
up  a  ring,  which  he  tells  the  victim  behind  him  is  no  good 
to  him.  He  is  a  poor  man,  etc.,  and  will  sell  it  for  what 
the  other  man  pleases.  The  dupe,  thinking  he  has  a  sure 
thing,  pays,  of  course,  for  a  worthless  fraud. 

Faze  or  Phaze  (Am.),  to  bother  or  knock  out.  "You  can- 
not faze  Smith  would  be  considered  a  compliment  by  that 
gentleman.     The  word  is  sometimes  pronounced  Peaze. 

Feather  (Eng.),  in  rowing  is  to  so  carry  the  oar  as  to  ipeet 
the  least  possible  resistance. 

Feather,  "in  full"  (Eng.),  well-dressed. 

Feathered  his  nest,  said  of  one  who  has  well-provided  for 
himself  at  the  expense  of  others. 

Featherrwelsrlit  (P.  R,),  a  pugilist  who  fights  at  a  very 


io8  FEA— FFV 

low  weight,  or  a  jockey  who  can  ride  a  yearling  or  two-year 
old. 

Featly  (Old  Eng.),  neatly,  dexterously. 

Feed,  a  dinner. 

Feed,  ««o£f  oneV'(Eng.),  having  lost  one's  appetite. 

Feele  (Gip.),  a  girl.    From  the  French  fille. 

Feel  to  do  (Am.),  to  be  inclined  to  do  anything. 

Feet,  "to  feel  one's,"  said  of  a  child  learning  to  walk,  and 
by  analogy  of  a  boy  or  girl  beginning  to  "take  notice." 

Fellow  (Am.),  a  vulgarism  for  sweetheart. 

Felt,  a  hat,  whether  of  that  or  any  other  soft  material,  but 
not  applied  to  a  silk  hat,  which  is  a  *'dicer"  or  "high  dicer" 
or  a  dozen  other  things. 

Fence,  "on  the"  (Am.).     See  On  the  fence. 

Fence  (Eng.),  a  receiver  of  stolen  property,  such  as  Dickens' 
Fagin. 

Fend  (Old  Eng.),  to  take  care  of;  to  shift  for. 

Fennits  (Eng.),  probably  from  "feign  it,"  a  word  used  by 
children  at  play  when  they  seek  to  avoid  being  caught 
while  resting  without  leaving  the  game.  A  sort  of  armis- 
tice  is  declared  by  the  utterance  of  the  word. 

Feminst  or  Femenst  (Irish),  opposite,  over  against;  often 
erroneously  used  in  the  sense  of  opposed  to. 

Fetich,  an  object  of  superstitious  reverence.  A  savage  will 
make  a  fetich  of  a  stone  or  an  animal  or  of  almost  any- 
thing. 

Fettle,  "in  good  fettle,"  in  good  condition. 

Few  (Eng.),  used  to  signify  the  exact  opposite,  as  "Did  you 
have  a  good  time?"  "Just  a  few."  "Rather"  is  an  equiva- 
lent. In  Scotland  few  signifies  a  quantity,  as  "Will  you 
have  a  few  porridge  ?" 

F.  F.  V.  (Am.),  an  abbreviation  for  "first  families  of  Vir- 


FIB— FIG  109 

ginia,"  a  race  supposed  to  be  descended  from  English  aristo- 
crats and  Indian  princesses. 

Fib,  to  lie. 

Fibbing,  in  the  prize-ring  means  blows  delivered  rapidly 
and  from  a  short  distance. 

Fid,  a  drink.  The  word  is  used  by  sailors  and  especially  by 
whalers. 

Fid,  a  plug  of  tobacco. 

Fiddle,  "to  play  second,"  to  act  a  subordinate  part 

Fiddle-£»ddle,  trifling  talk,  twaddle. 

Fiddler,  a  cheat  or  sharper. 

Fiddler,  an  English  sixpence. 

Fiddler's  ^een,  the  place  where  sailors  go  to  when  they 
die,  a  sort  of  Limbo  of  rum  and  tobacco,  with  plenty  of  fid- 
dling and  dancing. 

Fiddler's  money  (Eng.),  small   change.     See   Chickbn- 

FEKD. 

Fiddlesticks  (Eng.),  an  ejaculation  signifying  nonsense. 

Fiddling:  (Eng.),  wasting  time,  idling,  trifling. 

Field,  the  whole  number  of  competitors  in  a  race.  In  bet- 
ting the  "field"  represents  the  bulk  of  the  horses  as  op- 
posed to  the  favorite. 

Field,  to  look  out  at  cricket,  base-ball  or  foot  ball. 

Fig,  "in  full  fig"  (Eng.),  in  dress  costume.  Probably  from 
the  fig-leaf  costume  which  Eve  assumed  when  she  first  re- 
alized the  necessity  of  clothes. 

Figaro,  a  barber.     From  the  Barber  of  Seville, 

Fight  shy  (Eng.),  to  keep  away  from. 

Fight  the  tiger  (Am.),  to  gamble. 

Figure,  the  price.  "What's  the  figure?"  is  the  equivalent  of 
"How  much  is  the  damage?"  or  "What's  the  robbery  (or 
extortion)?"  addressed  to  a  hotel  or  shop-keeper. 


no  FIG— FIR 

Wignre,  to  consider,  to  count  the  cost. 

Figure,  "to  cut  a  good  figure,"  to  make  a  good  appearance. 

FiiTiu'e-head  (Eng.),  the  face. 

Filch  (Old  Eng.),  tromfylcke,  to  rob. 

File  (Eng.),  "a  deep  file,"  spoken  of  a  cunning  or  artful  man. 

Filibuster,  the  name  given  to  the  adventurers  who  made 
raids  on  Cuba,  Nicaragua  and  Mexico,and  of  whom  Walker 
was  a  type.  The  word  is  from  the  Spanish  Jilibustero^  a 
freebooter. 

Filibustering  (Am.),  in  legislation,  the  use  of  irregular 
means  to  defeat  a  proposed  measure. 

Filly,  a  young  girl,  from  the  French  fille^  or  from  filly,  a 
young  mare. 

^^,  the  hand.     Used  mostly  by  sailors. 

Finder,  one  who  finds  things  before  they  are  lost;  like  the 
Highlander  who  found  the  tongs  beside  the  kitchen  fire. 

Finger  in  the  pie,  "to  have  a,"  to  be  connected  with  an  un- 
dertaking or  business. 

Finish,  "a  fight  to  a,"  a  prize-fight  where  it  is  specified  that 
one  of  the  contestants  shall  be  knocked  out. 

Finnuf,  a  five-pound  Bank  of  England  note.  Doubtless 
from  the  German  finify  five. 

Ftp  or  Fippuns,  five  pence,  English  money.  A  fip  in  the 
United  States,  one-sixteenth  of  a  dollar;  a  half -real  or  Pic- 
ayune, {jg.  V.) 

Fire  (Am.),  to  throw  out,  to  discharge,  to  bounce. 

Fire-away,  go  in,  make  a  start. 

Fire-eater  (Eng.),  a  quarrelsome  man,  a  braggart.  As  a 
rule  the  professional  fire-eater  eats  all  the  men  he  kills;  in 
other  words  his  brag  is  seldom  backed  by  action. 

Fire-water  (Am.),  whisky. 

First-chop  (Pidgin  Eng.),  excellent. 

First  class,  the  best,  capable,  great. 


FIR— FIX  in 

First  Lnff  (Sea  term),  first  lieutenant  in  the  navy. 

First  rate,  of  the  first  class  or  order;  applied  to  a  Wsr-ttt- 
sel  of  heavy  armament. 

First  robber,  the  box-ofl5ce  man  of  a  theatre. 

Fish,  *«an  odd  fish,"  or  "a  queer  fish"  is  said  of  erratic  or 
doubtful  people. 

Fish-fag,  a  market-woman ;  any  vixenish  or  foul-mouthed 
woman.  No  doubt  from  the  obscene  and  vulgar  language 
of  the  Billingsgate  market-women. 

Fish  out  of  water,  a  man  out  of  his  right  place;  not  in  lui 
proper  element. 

Fishy,  a  doubtful  story.  "It  smells  fishy"  is  said  of  a  yam 
that  passes  belief.  Fish-stories  are  proverbially  exagger- 
ated. 

Fits,  "to  give  one,"  to  punish  him. 

Five-pence,  otherwise  Fippuns,  "fine  as,"  an  absolutely 
meaningless  comparison. 

Fives,  "bunch  of"  (P.  R.),  the  fist. 

Fivses  (Cockney),  fingers.  "Fivses  were  made  before 
forks.'^ 

Five  water  grrog,  very  weak  rum  and  water.  What  the 
sailors  call  "water  bewitched  and  rum  begrudged." 

Fix  (Am.),  is  used  in  the  United  States  in  many  forms.  A 
housewife  fixes  the  dinner  ot  the  furniture,  fixes  her  dr^ss 
or  her  obstreperous  boy,  the  latter  by  a  summary  process. 
A  man  in  a  predicament  is  in  an  awful  fix.  No  so-called 
Americanism  has  been  so  much  derided  by  English  writ- 
ers, but  the  word  is  after  all  a  useful  one,  and  by  no  means 
so  often  misplaced  as  is  alleged.  At  least  while  used  in  the 
sense  of  to  put  in  place,  "fix"  is  a  good  enough  word,  and 
if  Mary  fixes  her  "bangs"  or  Tommy  fixes  his  filed  they 
are  well  within  the  Umit. 

Fixings  (Am.),  the  accompaniments  of  a  dish.    The  Amer* 


112  i  FIZ— FLI 

ican  speaks  of  "chicken  fixings;"  the  Englishman  of  a  leg 
of  mutton  and  "trimmings." 

Fiz,  champagne. 

Fizzing  (Eng.),  excellent,  first  rate. 

Fizzle,  a  failure. 

Flabbergrast  (Old  Eng.),  to  astonish  or  strike  with  wonder. 

Flag  (Eng.),  the  aprons  worn  by  auctioneer's  assistants, 
touts  and  porters. 

Flam  (Eng.),  nonsense;  a  tale  which  cannot  be  believed. 

Flame  (Eng.),  a  sweetheart. 

Flapdoodle  (Am.),  nonsense;  stuff  they  feed  fools  on. 

Flap-jack  (Old  Eng.),  a  pancake.  See  Shakespeare,  Peri- 
cles^ Prince  of  Tyre. 

Flare  (Old  Eng.),  to  blaze  up. 

Flare  up,  a  social  gathering.     Otherwise  a  row. 

Flash,  the  language  of  Cant  or  Slang.  A  flashy  man  is  one 
who  is  dressed  with  more  regard  to  cost  than  good  taste. 
Flash  jewelry  is  that  of  the  "Brummagem"  variety,  better 
known  as  "Snide"  (^.  z'.)     Flash  money  is  counterfeit. 

Flashing' a  roll  (Am.),  to  display  a  lot  of  money. 

Flash  in  the  pan,  a  failure,  from  the  flashing  of  the  powder 

in  an  old-fashioned  gun. 
Flat,  a  fool  or  stupid  person. 
Flat  broke,  out  of  money ;  destitute. 
Flatch,  an  English  half-penny. 
Flat-footed,  "to  come  out"  (Am.),  to  make  an  authoritative 

statement.     Downright,  resolute. 
Flatten  out,  to  fail,  to  collapse. 
Flick  or  Old  flick,  (Eng.),  a  term  of  endearment  used  by 

the  vulgar, 
Flicky  to  strike  with  a  whip. 


FLI— FLU  113 

FUcker,  "let  her  flicker."     Let  her  go. 

Flies,  (Am.),  "no  flies  on  him;"  no  nonsense  about  him. 

Flim-flam  (Old  Eng.),  nonsense;  a  stupid  story.  See  Beau- 
mont and  Fletcher. 

Flimsy  (Eng.),  a  Bank  of  England  note. 

Flimsy,  copying  paper  used  by  reporters. 

Fling,  "to  have  one's"  to  indulge  or  dissipate. 

Flip,  fresh,  fly,  impudent. 

Flip-flop,  a  dance  or  break-down ;  a  somersault. 

Flipper,  the  hand.     Sailor's  slang. 

Flit  (Scotch  and  Old  Eng.),  to  remove  from  one  house  to 
another. 

Floater  (Am.),  a  body  found  in  the  river  or  lake. 

Floor  (P.  R.),  to  knock  dow^n. 

Floored,  beaten,  knocked  out. 

Floorer,  a  knock-down  blow. 

Flop,  to  fall  over  suddenly,  as  one  who  faints. 

Flop  (Am.),  in  politics,  to  change  front  on  a  question. 

Fluke  (Eng.),  an  accidental  shot  at  billiards,  or  indeed  any- 
thing gained  when  not  expected. 

Flume  (Am.),  in  the  mining  districts  "flumes"  are  used  to 
convey  water  for  the  purpose  of  washing  out  pay-dirt.  A 
man  who  dies  is  said  to  have  "gone  up  the  flume." 

Flummery,  flattery,  gammon,  nonsense.  The  name  is  also 
given  to  a  light  pudding. 

Flummoxed,  perplexed.  Sometimes  pronounced  "kerflum- 
mixed." 

Flunk,  to  fail,  to  back  out.     See  Funk. 

Flunkey  (Eng.),  a  man  servant  or  footman. 

Flunky,  frightened,  timid. 

Flush  (Am.),  having  plenty  of  money. 


1 14  FLU— FOO 

Flush,  in  the  game  of   cribbage,  where  the   hand  of  cards 

consists  all  of  one  suit,  or  where  the  "crib"  and  the  turn-up 

card  are  all  of  one  suit. 
Flutter,  to  try,  as  "I  will  have  a  flutter  for  it."    Also  to  toss 

coppers. 
Fly,  knowing,  wide-awake. 
Fly,  to  toss  or  lift.     Fly  around,  to  be  active. 
Fly  cop,  a  detective,  probably  on   the  lucus  a  non   lucendo 

principle. 
Flyer  (Am.),  a  speculation  on  the  Board  of  Trade  ai  Stock 

Exchange,  as  a  "flyer  in  wheat." 
Flyingr  bigb,  spending  lots  of  money ;   living  at  a  great  rate. 
Flying  kites,  raising  money  on  accommodation  bills. 
Flying  mess,  a  soldier's  term  for  having  no  meSs  at  all  and 

being  compelled  to  eat  where  he  can. 
Plying  stationer  (Eng.),  a  hawker  of  penny   ballads  or 

cheap  pamphlets. 
Foggy,  intoxicated. 

Fogle  (Old  Cant),  a  silk  handkerchief. 
Fogle-faker,  a  pickpocket. 
Folks    (Scotch),  people;    one's   family.      "How's   all    the 

folks  ?^ 
Follow-me-lads,  curls  hanging  over  a  lady's  shoulder.     In 

the  French  ^^Suivez-moi^jeune  hommey 
Foot,  <«to  put  one's  foot  in  it,"  to  make  a  bad  mistake ;   to 

blunder  foolishly. 
Foot  and  Walker's  line;  persons  who  cannot  afford  to  ride 

are  said  to  patronize  this  old  fashioned  system  of   getting 

there. 
Footing,  "to  pay  one's  footing"  is  to  "stand  treat"  when  in- 
itiated as  an   apprentice  to  a  trade,  or  into  a  society  or 

lodge. 


FOO— FRA  115 

Foot  it,  to  walk. 

Forehanded  (Am.),  well-provided,  economical. 
Fork  out  or  Fork  over,  to  pay. 
Forks  (Eng.),  fingers. 
Forks  (Am.),  where  a  road  divides  or  a  river  branches. 

Often   applied   to  various   streams  which   unite  to  form  a 

river,  as  "the  Republican  fork  of  the  Kansas." 
Form,  condition,  training.     Used  of  either  horse  or  man  in 

the  sporting  world.     A  breach  of  good  manners  is  also  bad 

form,  {g''V.) 
Forty-rod  (Am.),  New  Jersey  whisky,  which  kills  at  that 

distance. '  Known  also  as  "Jersey  lightning." 
Forty  winks,  a  short  nap  or  sleep. 
Forward  (Old  Eng.),  drunk,  or  getting  that  way. 
Pou  (Scotch),  intoxicated.     See   Bums,  "Willie  brewed   a 

pecK  o*  maut,"  or   Buchanan's  "Wedding  of   Shon  Mac- 
Lean,"  when  "every  piper  was  fou." 
Fonl,  to  jostle  in  a  race. 
Foul-tip  (Am.),  at  base-ball,  a  ball  touched  by  the  bat,  but 

which  falls  within  the  foul-line. 
Pour-eyes,  one  who  wears  spectacles. 
Four  hundred  (Am.),  the  "society"  class  of  New  York 

city,  said  to  be  limited  to  that  number.     See  Upper  ten. 
Fourth  estate  (Eng.),  the  press. 
Fox,  to  cheat  or  rob.    Also  to  watch. 
Fox,  to  mend,  as  a  cobbler  repairs  boots  and  shoes. 
Fox*s  sleep,  sleeping  with  one  eye  open;   keeping  watch 

while  pretending  indifference. 
Foxy,  cunning. 
Foxy,  red-haired. 

Frampold  (Old  Eng.),  peevish,  cross,  fretfuL 
Frapping,  from  the  French  fraffer.^  a  beating. 


ii6  FRA— FRI 

Fraud,  used  as  a  noun;  a  cheat,  a  swindle. 

Free-and-easy  (Eng.),  a  club  held  at  a  public  house  where 
the  members  themselves  furnish  the  harmony.  Known 
also  as  a  Sing-song. 

Free-fight,  a  row  in  which  everybody  takes  a  hand.  Some- 
thing after  the  style  of  Donnybrook  Fair. 

Free-for-all,  in  racing  or  other  sporting  contests,  means 
that  no  competitor  is  barred  by  reason  of  weight  or  record. 

Free  list,  to  be  on  the  free  list  is  to  obtain  admission  to  thea- 
tres, etc.,  without  paying  at  the  door. 

Free  soilers  (Am.),  the  early  settlers  of  Kansas  and  Ne- 
braska territories,  who  were  opposed  to  slavery  and  its  ex- 
tension into  those  territories.  The  Free-soil  party  cut  a 
considerable  figure  in  politics  1852-56,  but  practically 
merged  into  the  Republican  party  by  i860. 

Freeze-out  (Am.),  a  variety  of  the  game  of  Poker. 

Freeze  to  (Am.),  to  attach  oneself  strongly  to  another  per- 
son. 

Fremit  (Old  Eng.),  strange,  unneighborly. 

French  cream  (Eng.),  brandy. 

French  leave,  "to  take"  (Eng.),  to  go  away  without  obtain- 
ing permission. 

Fresh,  slightly  intoxicated. 

Fresh  (Am.),  said  of  a  man  who  thinks  he  knows  every- 
thing and  who  talks  freely  and  pushes  himself  forward. 

Freshet  (Am.),  a  sudden  rise  in  a  stream  or  river. 

Freshman,  a  college  or  university  student  in  his  first  year. 

Frijoles  (Sp.),  beans. 

Friendly  lead,  a  gathering  at  an  English  public  house  of 
the  lower  order,  which  combines  in  itself  features  of  busi- 
ness, convivial  and  social  character.  Jones,  it  may  be  as- 
sumed, is  either  in  or  has  just  come  out  of  trouble — trouble 
with  the  law,  that  is.     His  friends  hold  a  session  at  a  pub- 


FRI— FUL  117 

lie  hou&e  where  songs  are  sung,  fishy  stories  told  and  a  con- 
tribution taken  up  for  the  benefit  of  the  troubled  one.  This 
is  done  by  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  meeting  "leading" 
off,  as  a  deacon  fattens  the  plate  before  handing  it  around 
the  church,  and  the  visitors  follow  the  "lead"  thus  set. 

Frills  (Am.),  "to  put  on  frills"  is  to  make  considerable  show 
on  small  justification. 

Frisk  (Eng.),  to  search. 

Frisk  a  cly,  to  rob  a  pocket. 

Frog  (Eng.),  a  policeman. 

Frog's  march  (Eng.).  Drunken  or  disorderly  persons  who 
decline  to  walk  to  the  station  house  are  given  the  frog's 
march.  Four  policemen  seize  each  a  leg  or  an  arm  and  the 
victim  is  thus  marched  along,  face  downwards. 

Frolic  (Am.),  a  party  or  social  gathering. 

From  soda  to  hock  (Am.).     See  Hock  supra. 

Frontispiece,  the  face. 

Front  name,  a  Christian  or  "given"  name. 

Frow,  a  woman  or  wife.  From  the  German  frau;  Dutch 
Vraww^  a  housewife. 

Frowsy,  dirty,  slatternly,  untidy. 

Frump  (Eng.),  a  slatternly  old  woman.  Sometimes  ap- 
plied to  a  prim  elderly  lady ;  the  feminine  equivalent  of 
what  would  be  an  "old  fogey."     See  Fogby  ante. 

Frying-pan,  a  large,  old  fashioned  watch. 

Fudge,  nonsense,  bosh.     See  The  Vicar  of   Wakefield, 

Fudge,  to  fudge  a  day's  work  is  to  pretend  to  be  working 
while  really  "sojering."  The  word  comes  from  the  Gaelic 
Fugg^  deception. 

Full,  intoxicated;  "full  as  a  goose"  or  a  tick,  or  a  score  of 
other  things. 

Full  against.    When  a  bookmaker  has  laid  all  the  money 


ii8  FUL— FUR 

he  cares  to  against  a  certain  horse  he  announces  that  he  is 
"full  against  him." 

Fullams  or  Fulloms,  false  dice  (Shakespeare).  Obsolete 
now. 

Full  blast,  in  good  going  order.  Derived  from  the  technol- 
ogy of  the  steam  engine. 

Full  feather,  good  condition,  high  spirits.  A  person  well- 
dressed  is  said  to  be  in  full  feather,  otherwise  in  Full 
FIG,  {q.  V.) 

Full  fig.     In  uniform  or  full  dress.     See  fig  ante. 

Full  of  Beans  (English  stable  slang),  said  of  one  whom 
prosperity  has  rendered  offensive  and  bumptious. 

Full  team  (Am.),  a  powerful  man. 

Full  tilt,  at  a  great  pace. 

Full  swing^,  very  fast. 

Fully  (  Eng. ),  "to  be  f ullied,"  fully  committed  for  trial.  The 
invention  of  a  penny-a-liner  in  order  to  swell  his  report. 
The  prisoner  can  be  no  more  than  committed  anyhow. 

Funeral  (Am.),  "it  is  none  of  my  funeral.;"  no  business  of 
the  person  speaking. 

Funk,  cowardice.     To  funk  is  to  be  afraid. 

Funk,  to  smoke  out,  or  to  terrify. 

Funny-bone  (Eng.),  the  extremity  of  the  elbow.  Possibly 
because  of  its  connection  with  the  humerus.     See  Crazy- 

BONB. 

Furrow  (Am.),  "to  draw  a  straight  furrow" is  to  mind  one's 
own  business  and  to  work  straight  along. 


Gab  (Old  Eng.),  talk.    "Gift  of  the  gab,"  loquacity. 

Gabble  (Old  Eng.),  to  talk  rapidly. 

Gaby  (Am.),  a  simpleton. 

Gad  (Eng.),  a  stick  with  a  sharp  point  used  for  driving  cat- 
tle; a  goad. 

Gad  (Eng.),  to  go  about  purposelessly.  Gad- about  is  a 
woman  who  attends  to  the  business  of  everyone  else  to  the 
neglect  of  her  own  and  that  of  her  family. 

Gaff  (Eng.),  a  play-house  of  the  lowest  order,  admission  to 
which  is  generally  one  penny  or  two  pence. 

Gaffer  (Eng.),  master.  Probably  from  Grandfather  and 
often  applied  by  rustics  to  an  old  man. 

Gaffing  (Eng.),  tossing.     See  Jeffing. 

Gag,  to  hoax. 

Gag:  (Eng.),  a  lie. 

Gag,  language  introduced  by  an  actor  and  not  found  in  Ihe 
play  as  written.  Designed  to  tickle  the  ears  of  the  ground- 
lings. 

Galeny  (Old  Eng.),  from  gallinaceous,  applied  to  any  fowl, 
but  chiefly  to  the  guinea-hen. 

Galanty  sbow  (Eng.),  from  gallant  or  gallantry;  an  exhi- 
bition in  which  black  figures  are  exhibited  on  a  white 
sheet  to  the  accompaniment  of  the  showman's  "patter." 

Gale  (Am.),  a  state  of  excitement. 

Gall  (Am.),  impudence,  otherwise  known  as  **cheek." 

Galley  yam  (Sea  slang),  a  doubtful  story. 


iij) 


120  GAL— GAM 

Gallimaufry  (Sea  slang),  a  stew  made  up  of  scraps  from 
the  cook's  galley. 

Gallinipper  (Am.),  an  insect  resembling  a  mosquito. 

Gallipot  (Old),  a  druggist  or  apothecary. 

Gallivant  (Old  Eng.),  to  wait  upon  the  ladies. 

Gallows  bird,  a  young  thief — one  likely  to  bring  up  on  the 
gallows. 

Gallus,  an  adjective  used  in  England  in  the  sense  of  "very," 
as  "gallus  poor,"  "gallus  bad  grub."  Never  a  very  com- 
plimentary term. 

Galluses,  braces  or  suspenders. 

Galoot  (Am.),  a  man;  not  a  complimentary  term.  Jim 
Bludsoe,  in  John  Hay's  ballad  swore,  that  he  would 

"Hold  her  nozzle  agin'  the  bank 
Till  the  last  galoot's  ashore." 

Galore  (Irish,  from  Go  Leor^  plenty),  abundance.  "Lashings 
of  whisky  and  tobacco  galore"  are  the  necessary  concomi- 
tants of  a  well-organized  wake. 

Gam  (Sea  slang),  a  visit  or  gossip. 

Game,  plucky. 

Game,  a  trick.    "What  is  your  little  game?'* 

Game  leg,  a  stiff  or  wounded  leg. 

Gamester,  a  gambler. 

Gammer  (Eng.),  no  doubt  from  grandmother,  the  mistress 
of  a  house,  or  an  old  woman. 

Gammon  (Old  Eng.),  deceit,  humbug.  To  gammon  is  "to 
make  game  on." 

"And  'cause  he  gammons  so  the  flats 
We  calls  him  Veeping  Bill." 

— Ingoldsby  Legends. 

Gammy,  bad,  ill-tempered. 

Gamp,  an  umbrella;  from  the  lamented  Sairy^  friend  of  Mrs. 
Harris,  who  always  carried  one. 


GAN— GAZ  121 

Gander  party,  a  gathering  of  men  only.     See  Stag  party. 

Gangf  (Scotch),  go  on.  "Gang  your  gait,"  go  about  your 
business. 

Gang  (Am.),  a  gathering  of  men;  not  a  complimentary 
term. 

Ganger  (Eng.),  the  overseer  or  "boss"  of  a  gang  of  laborers. 

Gape-seed,  something  to  look  at.  A  **country  jake"  visit- 
ing a  large  city  generally  finds  plenty  of  gape-seed. 

Garden  truck  or  Garden  sass  (Am.),  vegetables. 

Gargle,  drink. 

Gas  (Am.),  bounce,  brag,  lots  of  talk. 

Gas-bag,  a  man  who  boasts  habitually  of  his  own  doings  and 
importance. 

Gassy,  very  talkative,  bounceable. 

Gate  money,  the  price  charged  for  admission  to  a  race,  fight 
or  other  sporting  event.     See  Gate  race  below. 

Gate  race,  a  race  or  sporting  contest  where  the  prize  is  only 
a  nominal  consideration;  the  whole  affair  being  gotten  up 
for  the  sake  of  the  admission  fee  charged. 

Gatter   (Eng.),  beer  or  more  properly  porter. 

''Lots  of  gatter,  quo^  she,  is  flowing 

Lend  me  a  lift  in  the  family  way." 

—Pother  Prout. 
Gaum  (Eng.),  to  smear;  to  make  dirty. 

Gawky,  an  awkward  person ;  a  fool. 

Gay,  a  euphemism  for  dissipated.  "Gay  women"  are  wo- 
men of  the  town.  The  London  Punch  some  years  ago 
had  a  picture  of  two  disreputables,  standing  under  an  arch- 
way in  the  pouring  rain.  To  the  one  says  the  other, 
♦•How  long  have  you  been  gay  ?" 

Gazebo  (Irish),  a  cupola  or  other  adornment  on  top  of  a 
building.  Mrs.  Major  McDowd,  in  Vanity  Paity  found 
fault  with  the  "gazeybo"  on  the  market-house  of  a  Flemish 
city. 


122  GAZ— GHO 

Gazelle,  "that's  where  the  gazelle  comes  in ;"  that  explains 
the  cause  of  the  occurrence.  See  Milk  in  the  Cocoa- 
nut. 

Gear  up  (Am.),  to  harness. 

Gee  (Scotch),  (pronounced  with  a  hard  G),  to  disagree  with: 
"Then  hey!  play  up  the  runaway  bride 
For  she  has  ta'en  the  gee." 

—Old  Scotch  Song, 

Gee-whillikens,  an  ejaculation. 

Gemmen  (Cockney),  contraction  of  gentlemen. 

Gent,  silver.     From  the  French  argent. 

Gents,  a  vulgar  contraction  of  gentleman.  According  to 
Oliver  Wendell  Holmes  "gents  are  persons  who  wear 
pants." 

Gerrymander  (Am.),  to  manipulate  legislative  or  congres- 
sional districts  for  the  benefit  of  one  party  and  to  the  detri- 
ment of  another.  In  the  time  of  Governor  Gerry  the 
State  of  Massachusetts  was  thus  served  and  the  map  of  the 
districts  so  laid  out  presented  a  fanciful  resemblance  to  a 
lizard  or  salamander.  Gerry  was  charged  with  the  work 
and  hence,  "Gerrymander." 

Get  (Am.),  go  away. 

Get  a  move  on  (Am. ),  go  away,  move  along. 

Get  around,  to  get  the  better  of  one ;  to  persuade. 

Get  there  (Am.),  a  smart,  intelligent  fellow  who  displays 
business  aptitude  and  meets  with  success  is  said  to  "get 
there."     Sometimes  he  "gets  there  with  both  feet." 

Get  up,  a  person's  appearance  or  style.  "Got  up  regardless" 
means  dressed  without  reference  to  expense. 

Get  up  and  get,  one  who  is  prompt  and  energetic  is  said  to 
have  plenty  of  this. 

Ghost,  when  there  is  no  money  in  the  treasury  to  pay  sala- 
ries theatrical  people  say  "the  ghost  doesn't  walk."  The 
use  of  the  word  has  become  general. 


GHO— GIN  123 

Ghost  dance  (Am.),  a  war  dance  introduced  among  the 
Sioux  Indians  of  Dakota  early  in  1891,  those  who  partici- 
pated wearing  long  shirts  of  fantastic  appearance. 

Ghost  of  a  chance,  "not  having  the,"  with  no  probability  of 
success. 

Gib,  a  cat  which  has  been  castrated. 

Gibberish  (Gip.),  unmeaning  jargon,  sometimes  formed  by 
school  boys  by  the  insertion  of  extra  consonants  as  "g"  or 
"1"  in  common  words. 

Gibus,  an  opera  or  crush  hat,  from  the  name  of  the  inven- 
tor. 

Giff-gaff  (Scotch),  like  "ca'  me,  ca'  thee,"  means  in  effect 
"Scratch  my  back  and  I'll  scratch  your  back."  In  other 
words  doing  something  for  another  who  rtturns  the  com- 
pliment.    "Giff-gaff"  makes  good  friends. 

Gig,  "the  language  of,"  a  Macaronic  dialect  used  by  eigh- 
teenth century  exquisites,  now  happily  extinct. 

Gig  lamps,  spectacles. 

Giglot  (Old  Eng.),  a  silly  girl. 

GiIderoy*s  kite,  "higher  than,"  out  of  sight,  completely 
gone. 

Gills,  the  lower  part  of  the  face. 

Gilt,  money ;  from  the  Dutch  gelt. 

Gilt-edged  (Am.),  first  class,  the  best  of  its  kind.  Even 
butter  is  advertised  as  "gilt-edged  dairy." 

Gimcrack  (Old  Eng. ),  anything  gaudy  and  easily  break- 
able. 

Ginger  (Eng.),  red  hair. 

Gingerly,  to  do  anything  with  great  care. 
Gingham,  an  umbrella. 
Ginmill,  a  tippling  house. 
Gin-spinner,  a  dealer  in  spirituous  liquors. 


124 


GIV— GOA 


Give,  is  to  strike  or  scold.     A  small  boy  in  a  fight  is  told  to 

**give  it"  to  his  opponent,  while  his  mother  "gives  it"  to 

him  when  he  gets  home. 
Give  away,  to  inform ;   to  peach  or  split.     "That  is  a  give 

away"  is  said  of  a  damaging  admission. 
Given  name,  a  Christian  name. 
Give  in,  to  surrender.      To  "throw  up  the  sponge." 
Give  it  mouth,  speak  up. 
Give  out,  to  fail,  to  be  exhausted. 
Give  us  a  rest,  a  slang  phrase  of  recent   introduction   used 

when  a  tedious  story  is  being  told.     Equivalent   to   You 

MAKS  MK  TIRED. 

Glaze,  "to  star  the,"  to  break  a  window,  often  done  for  pur- 
poses of  robbery. 

Glib,  the  tongue.  A  glib  talker  is  one  who  has  the  "gift  of 
the  gab." 

Glim,  a  light.  "Dowse  that  glim,"  put  out  the  light 
Doubtless  from  glim  or  glimmer^  a  spark. 

Glimmer    (Old  Cant),  a  fire. 

Globe-trotter,  a  traveler;  one  who  has  visited  manj  coun- 
tries. 

Glorious,  intoxicated. 

Glum  or  Glumpy,  sulky,  stern. 

Go,  is  used  in  a  score  of  ways.  "A  rum  go"  and  a  "great 
go"  are  curious  and  remarkable  occurrences;  "all  the  go" 
is  synonymous  with  "all  the  rage ;"  "here's  a  pretty  go" 
means  here's  a  trouble  [see  Ingoldsby].  The  "go"  at 
cribbage  is  the  last  card. 

Go  (Eng.),  a  glass  of  gin. 

Go  (Am.),  "to  made  a  go  of  it,"  to  make  a  success. 

Goaliead(Sea  slang),  go  on,  proceed  in  a  forward  direc 
tion. 


GOA— GOI  125 

Go  ahead  (Am.),  as  an  adjective  means  advancing,  pro- 
gressing. 

Goat,  "to  ride  the,"  to  be  initiated  into  a  secret  society.  It 
is  vulgarly  held  that  a  live  goat  is  among  the  properties  of 
a  masonic  lodge,  and  that  candidates  have  to  ride  him. 

Gob  (P.  R.),  the  mouth.  Also  used  for  Gab,  talk-  Both 
w^ords  are  from  the  Gaelic  Gab,  the  mouth. 

Go  back  on  (Am.),  to  abandon  a  friend  or  an  undertaking. 

Gobbler  (Am.),  a  turkey.  ' 

Go  by,  "to  give  one  the  go  by"  is  to  cut  his  acquaintance. 

God  bless  the  Duke  of  Argryle.  It  is  alleged  that  a  former 
Duke  of  Argyle,  taking  pity  on  his  afflicted  compatriots, 
caused  posts  to  be  erected  in  order  that  those  suffering 
from  the  "Scotch  fiddle,"  in  other  words  the  itch,  might 
rub  their  backs  whenever  necessary.  The  thankfulness  of 
fhe  benificiaries  was  expressed  in  the  exclamation. 

Gods,  the  frequenters  of  the  theatre  gallaries,  not  always 
the  least  critical  part  of  the  audience.  So  called  from  the 
height  at  which  they  sit.  The  French  term  for  the  upper 
gallery  is  Paradis. 

God*s  mercy  (Eng.),  ham  or  bacon  and  eggs.  At  country 
inns,  remote  from  a  butcher,  you  will  be  told  that  there  is 
nothing  in  the  house  but  God's  mercy. 

Go  for  the  gloves  (Eng.),  to  lay  against  a  horse  on  the 
chance  of  its  losing,  without  possessing  the  wherewithal 
to  settle  in  the  other  event.  Probably  from  the  practice  of 
ladies  betting  gloves  on  sporting  events,  expecting  to  be 
paid  if  they  win  and  not  to  pay  if  they  lose. 

Go  In,  to  enter  for  a  race  or  any  contest.  "Go  in  and  win" 
is  the  advice  given  to  a  small  boy  in  a  street  fight  by  inter- 
ested spectators. 

Going,  traveling,  as  "the  going  is  bad,  the  roads  being  all 
mud."  ^ 

:;  I 


Ai  I 


126  GOI— GON 

Going  the  pace,  living  fast;  cutting  a  dash. 

Go  it  (Eng.),  to  keep  it  up.  To  "go  it  strong"  is  applied  to 
a  man  on  a  drunk,  who  is  in  for  a  continued  spree. 

Go  it  alone  (Am.),  a  player  at  euchre  if  satisfied  that  he  can 
make  a  "march"  will  "go  it  alone,"  in  which  case  his  part- 
ner lays  down  his  hand,  and  the  adventurous  one  plays 
against  the  other  two  men. 

Go  it  blind  (Am .),  an  expression  used  at  the  game  of  poker. 
See  Blind,  ante. 

Go  it  strong,  to  act  energetically  and  vigorously. 

Goldfinch,  an  English  sovereign. 

Gold-mine,  any  profitable  investment.    See  Bonanza,  ante. 

Golden  wedding  (Am.),  the  fiftieth  anniversary  of  a  wed- 
ding often  celebrated  by  aged  couples.  The  silver  wed- 
ding is  the  twenty-fifth  anniversary. 

Golly,  an  ejaculation  used  by  negroes. 

Gone  case  (Am.),  said  of  a  man  who  is  altogether  broken 
up. 

Gone  coon  (Am.),  one  who  is  completely  lost  or  beaten. 
See  Coon,  ante. 

Gone  goose  (Am.),  one  lost  beyond  recovery. 

Gone  over  to  the  majority,  dead. 

Goner  (Am.),  "he's  a  goner,"  means  that  he  is  lost  or 
ruined. 

Gone  under,  ruined.  Also  used  to  express  the  supposed 
whereabouts  of  a  party  deceased,  who  is  not  likely  to  have 
taken  the  other  route. 

Gone  up,  lost,  ruined. 

Gone  up  Salt  River  or  Salt  Creek  (Am.),  is  said  of  politi- 
cians rejected  at  the  polls. 

Gone  up  the  spout  (Eng.),  lost,  much  as  one's  personal  be- 
longings are  when  entrusted  to  the  tender  mercies  of  the 
pawnbroker. 


GON— GOO  137 

Oonnof  (Old  Eng.),  a  thief. 

Goobers,  peanuts. 

Good  as  gold,  very  good ;  said  of  children. 

Good  as  they  make  *ein,  superlatively  good. 

Good  as  wheat  (Eng.),  staple,  first-class. 

Goods  (Eng.),  is  applied  by  sports  to  either  men  or  horses. 
Anything  which  promises  well  or  turns  out  satisfactory  is 
*'good  goods," 

Good  time  (Am.),  applied  indifferently  to  a  carouse,  an  en- 
joyable concert  or  other  performance,  a  friendly  gathering 
or  almost  anything  pleasant.  "Did  you  have  a  good  time?" 
is  asked  of  a  man  returning  from  a  vacation  or  of  a  lady 
who  has  been  to  a  ball. 

Good  woman,  an  English  public  house  sign  representing  a 
headless  woman.  Sometimes  known  as  the  Silent  Wo- 
man. 

Goody,  something  nice  to  eat;  children  call  candies  and  cakes 
"goodies." 

Goody-goody,  well-meaning,  but  petty ;  offensively  pious. 

Goose,  a  tailor's  pressing  iron.  It  is  said  to  live  on  Cab- 
bage (g'.v.) 

Goose,  "to  cook  one's  goose,"  is  otherwise  rendered  *<to  set- 
tle his  hash,"  or  "to  give  him  his  gruel."  May  be  used  to 
characterize  manslaughter  or  any  milder  form  of  knocking 
a  man  out. 

Goose,  to  hiss  or  condemn  a  play.  From  the  anserine  cus- 
tom of  hissing  when  annoyed. 

Goose  (Am.),  "sound  on  the  goose,"  a  term  signifying  that 
one  is  orthodox  on  the  question  at  issue.  Leland  treats 
the  phrase  humorously  in  one  of  his  famous  Ballads  of 
Hans  Breitmann. 

Gooseberry  Old,  his  Satanic  majesty.  To  "play  Old 
Gooseberry"  with  anyone  is  to  do  him  harm. 


128  GOO— GOT 

Gooseberry  picker  (Irish),  one  who  assists  fond  lovers  to 
means  of  communicating;  a  matchmaker. 

Gooseberry  season  (Eng.),  the  dull  time  of  year  in  which 
newspapers  are  filled  with  stories  of  gigantic  fruits,  sea-ser- 
pents and  other  lusus  naturce.  Otherwise  known  as  the 
«*silly  season." 

Goose-egrg^  (Am.),  when  a  man  scores  a  nought  or  "round 
O"  at  any  game  he  makes  a  *'goose-egg." 

Gooser,  a  knock-out  blow. 

Goose-step,  one  of  the  preliminary  steps  in  the  English  sys- 
tem of  military  drill ;  the  ^ons  asinorum  of  the  new  recruit 

G.  O.  P.  (Am.),  Grand  Old  Party;  the  Republican  party. 

Gopher  (Am.),  in  police  language,  a  young  sneak-thief  or 
associate  of  burglars,  who  is  passed  into  a  room  through  a 
transom  or  window. 

Gopher  (Am.),  in  the  South,  the  name  of  a  rude  wooden 
plow. 

Gospel  grrinder  (Eng.),  a  clergyman  or  missionary. 

Gospel-shop  (Eng.),  a  church  or  meeting  house. 

Goss  (Eng.),  an  abbreviation  of  gossamer,  a  hat. 

Gossoon  (Irish),  a  boy  or  lad. 

Goth,  an  uncivilized  or  uncultivated  person.  See  Philis- 
tine* 

Gotham,  New  York  City,  where  the  wise  men  dwell. 
Washington  Irving  first  applied  the  term  to  that  city  but 
its  origin  is  English,  and  dates  from  the  time  when  the  vil- 
lagers of  Gotham  in  Lincolnshire  raked  the  pond  to  get  the 
moon  out. 

Go  the  big  figriuro  (Am.),  or  the  whole  figure,  to  do  any- 
thing on  a  large  scale. 

Go  the  whole  hog^  (Am.),  to  put  everything  on  one  chance. 

Go  through  (Am.),  to  complete  or  finish;   to  go  through  a 


GOT— GRA  129 

man  is  to  *<hoId  him  up"  and  rob  him.  Stage  and  train 
robbers  "go  through  the  passengers." 

Go  through  the  mill  (Am.),  to  gain  experience. 

Go  to  grass  (Am.),  be  off,  get  out. 

Gouge,  to  cheat  or  defraud. 

Go  under,  to  die,  to  perish. 

Government  mule,  "stupid  as  a,"  or  "obstinate  as  a,"  said  of 
any  stupid  or  stubborn  person.  The  contract  mules  during 
the  Civil  War  tried  the  patience  of  the  soldiers  sorely. 

Governor  (Eng.),  a  father.  In  the  last  century  applied  to  a 
teacher  in  charge  of  a  youth  of  good  fortune,  now  known 
as  a  "bear-leader."  The  gilded  youth  of  England  speak 
of  their  fathers  as  the  Governor,  Pater,  Old  Man  or  Re- 
lieving Officer  and  occasionally  as  "His  Nibs." 

Gowk  (Old  Scotch),  a  fool  or  silly  person.  Hunting  the 
gowk  is  equivalent  to  making  an  *•  April  fool"  of  one,  by 
sending  him  on  a  bootless  errand. 

Gownsman  (Eng.),  a  University  student. 

Gowpen  (Scotch),  a  double  handful. 

Grab,  to  clutch  or  sieze. 

Grabbed,  caught.    See  Nabbed. 

Graft,  work;  anything  done;  "great  graft"  is  anything  sat- 
isfactory. 

Granger  (Am.),  a  farmer.  The  "Patrons  of  Husbandry" 
called  the  lodges  "granges." 

Granite  State  (Am.),  the  State  of  New  Hampshire. 

Granny's  knot  (Eng.),  a  knot  which  will  not  hold. 

Grapevine  (Am.),  a  hold  in  wrestling. 

Grapplers,  fingers. 

Grass,  "brought  to,"  in  the  prize-ring,  means  a  knock-down 
blow. 

Grass,  "gone  to,"  dead.    "Go  to  grass,"  said  to  a  trouble- 


130  GRA— GRE 

some  person,  may  be  derived  from  "go  to  grace,"   which 

means,  of  course,  *'go  to  — "  somewhere  else. 
Grass  widow  (Am.),  properly  Grace  widow,  or  widow  by 

the    grace    of    circumstances,  a  married    woman    living 

apart  from  her  husband.     It  is  also  applied  to  divorcees. 
Gravelled  (Old  Eng.),  bothered,  perplexed,  angry. 
Gravel-rash,  a  scratched   face  caused  by  a  fall   upon   the 

earth. 
Gray  backs  (Am.),  body  lice. 
Gray  mare,  the  better  horse;    the  wife  who  *'wears  the 

breeches"  {^»  v.) 
Grease  (Am.),  money  used  for  bribery.     See  Boodlb. 
Grease  spot,  "nothing  left  but  a"  (Am.),  is  said  of  a  man 

badly  used  up  in  a  fight. 
Greaser  (Am.),  a  Mexican. 
Greasy  chin,  a  dinner.     See  Ingoldshy  Legends, 
Great  go,  the  most  important  examination  at  the   English 

universities.     The  minor  "exam's"  are  known  as  "smalls" 

or  "little  go." 
Great  go,  a  success;  anything  which  has  a  "boom."     See 

All  thk  go,  ante. 
Great  unwashed  (Eng.),  the  lower  classes. 
Greek  (Old  Eng.),  a  sharper. 
Greek  Kalends  (Anc),  an  indefinite  period;   never.     The 

Greeks  had  no  Kalends  and  the  term  was  used  in  ancient 

Rome  in  its  present  significance. 
Green  (Eng.),  ignorant,  inexperienced.    **Do  you  see  any- 
thing green  in  my  eye?"  is  an  ironical  inquiry  often  made 

by  cockneys. 
Green  (Old  Eng.),  fresh,  simple. 
Greenbacks  (Am.),  the  paper  money  issued  by  the  United 

States. 


ORE— GRI  131 

Greenbackers  (Am.),  the  advocates  of  an  unlimited  issue  of 
paper  money. 

Green  goods  (Am.),  counterfeit  bills,  doubtless  from  "green- 
backs." 

Greenbom  or  Greenie  (Eng.),  a  fresh  or  unsophisticated 
person. 

Green  Isle,  Ireland. 

Green  Mountain  State  (Am.),  Vermont. 

Greet  (Scotch),  to  weep. 

Gridiron,  an  instrument  alleged  to  be  used  in  the  initiation 
of  candidates  to  secret  societies.  "On  the  gridiron"  means 
"roasted." 

Gridiron  (Am.),  the  stars  and  stripes. 

Grief,  "to  come  to"  (Eng.),  to  meet  with  an  accident,  phys- 
ically or  financially. 

Griffin  {Yx,  grifon)^  a  mulatto. 

Griffin  or  GrifF,  a  term  applied  in  India  to  a  newly  arrived 
cadet,  probably  because  the  inexperienced  consider  a  griffin 
as  one  of  the  indigenous  animals  of  that  country. 

Grind  (Eng.),  daily  toil  or  study;  also  a  walk.  Mr.  Man- 
talini  in  Nicholas  Nickelby  objected  to  the  "demnition 
grind"  of  his  daily  life. 

Grinder  (Eng.),  a  tooth. 

Grinder  (Eng.),  a  university  tutor  or  Coach  (y.  v.) 

Grin  in  the  sack,  or  in  the  basket  (Fr.),  to  be  beheaded. 
The  head  of  a  guillotined  person  falls  into  a  basket 

Grip,  "to  lose  one's"  (Am.),  to  lose  control  of  anything  or  to 
fail  in  business  or  other  effort. 

Grist  to  the  mill,  anything  which  brings  in  money. 

Grit  (Am.),  pluck,  sand,  spirit. 

Grit,  in  Canadian  politics,  a  member  of  the  Liberal  party. 

Grizzle,  to  fret  or  cry. 


133  GRi— GRU 

Grizzled,  light  or  brown  hair  turning  gray.    Dark  hair  in 

such  a  case  is  known  as  Iron-gray  (j'.  v.) 
Grog,  spirits  and  water.     Said  to  be  derived  from   an  old 

English   naval   officer  named   Grogram,  who   mixed   his 

liquor  in  that  fashion.      Seven-water  grog  is  where  the 

milder  liquor  predominates  largely. 
Grogr  blossoms,  the  rubicund  facial  appearance    resulting 

from  hard  drinking. 
Groggery  (Am.),  a  low-class  tavern  or  grog-shop. 
Groggy,  a  prize-fighter  who  is  unsteady   on  his  limbs,  or  a 

horse  *«weak  on  his  pins"  is  said  to  be  groggy. 
Grounder  (Am.),  at  base-ball,  a  ball  which  is  struck  low  or 

flies  near  the  ground. 
Ground  floor,  "let  in  on  the"  (Am.),  to  be  admitted  into  a 

speculation  or  scheme  on  even  terms  with  the  original  pro- 
jectors. 
Grouty  (Eng.),  crabbed,  surly. 
Growler  (Eng.),  a  four-wheeled  cab.     Supposed  to  be  from 

the  dissatisfied  mood  in  which  the  driver  is  invariably  found 

when  settling  time  comes. 
Grub,  food. 

Grubbing-ken,  a  cook-shop,  hotel  or  restaurant. 
Grubby,  dirty. 
Grub-stake  (Am.),  food  and  other  necessaries  furnished  to 

prospectors  in  the  mining  districts  by  men  who  share  in  the 

profits  of  a  mine,  if  one  is  found  by  the  men  they  back. 
Grub  street,  in  the  eighteenth  century  the  abiding  place  of 

London  writers  and  booksellers'  hacks. 
Gruel,  "gave  him  his,"  to  kill  a  man.     In  the  prize  ring  to 

knock  him  out  for  good. 
Grundy,  Mrs.,  the  embodiment  of  feminine  public  opinion. 

"What  will  Mrs.  Grundy  say  ?"  is  taken  from  a  last  century 

play. 


GUE— GUS  133 

Gaess,  in  the  United  States  has  many  significations.  It 
means  to  believe,  to  surmise,  to  fancy,  and  even  (but  im- 
properly)  is  used  as  an  affirmation  of  certainty.  Shakespeare, 
Chaucer,  Coleridge,  and  Byron  among  the  great  English 
writers  use  the  vv^ord  in  the  sense  in  which  it  is  now  ac- 
cepted in  England,  that  of  conjecture.  The  American 
usage,  as  "I  guesss  not"  (imperative)  or  "I  guess  I'll  go,** 
/:  c,  "I  think,'*  is  slang,  for  it  is  not  good  English. 

Ouillotine  or  Axe,  the  weapon  which  descends  on  politi- 
cians whose  friends  and  party  fail  of  election. 

Gulch  (Am.),  a  deep  ravine  caused  by  the  action  of  water; 

sometimes  with  a  stream  flowing  through  it. 
Gulf  (Old  Eng.),  the  throat. 
Gulfed  (Eng.),  university  slang  for  a  man  who  fails  to  take 

honors.     See  Plucked  or  Ploughed. 
Gull,  to  cheat  or  deceive. 
Gully  (Scotch),  a  pocket-knife.     See  Bums,  Death  and 

Doctor  Hornbook. 
Gum  (Am.),  to  impose  on. 
Gummy,  thick,  fat.^ 
Gump,  a  foolish  fellow ;  a  dullard. 
Gumption,  sense.     Much  used  in  Yorkshire,  England,  and 

in  New  England. 
Gums,  india-rubber  overshoes. 
Gun  (Am.),  a  revolver. 
Gunner's  daughter,  "marrying    the**  (sea  slang).    Boys 

in  the  navy  ordered  for  punishment  were  formerly  lashed 

to  the  cannon  so  as  to  give  the  boatswain*8   mate   a  good 

chance  at  them ;  hence  the  term.     See  Marryatt*8  works. 
Gush,  nonsense,  sentiment.     The  kind  of  literature  found  in 

"society'*  papers  and  periodicals  designed  for  young  ladies. 
Gusher  (Am.),  a  flowing  oil-welL 


134  [GUT— GYP 

Gut  scraper,  a  fiddler.     See  Bums  in  The  Jolly  Beggars, 

Gutter  lane,  the  throat. 

Gutter-snipe,  a  street  loafer. 

Guttle.     See  Guzzle. 

Guy,  a  fright;  an  ill-dressed  person.  Derived  from  the  ef- 
figies of  Guy  Fawkes  which  are  carried  in  London  streets 
on  the  5th  of  November  in  remembrance  of  the  Gunpowder 
Plot. 

Guy,  to  make  fun  of;  to'roast  or  "josh"  a  person. 

Guzzle,  to  eat  or.drink  to  excess. 

•'There  was  guzzling  Dick  and  guttling  Ned, 
And  likewise  was  little  Billee." 

— Sea  Song. 

Gyp,  an  undergraduate's  servant  at  Cambridge  University, 
England.  Said  to  be  derived  from  the  Greek  gyps,  a  vul- 
ture.   Their  congeners  at  Oxford  are  known  as  Scouts 


H 


Habitan  (Fr.),  a  small  landed  proprietor  in  Canada. 
Hack  (Am.),  a  common  carriage.     In  England  a  hone  used 

for  riding,  as  a  "park  hack"  or  a  *'cover  hack." 
Hack,  "booksellers,"  a  literary  man  who  does  general  work 

for  a  publisher. 
Hackle  (Eng.),  pluck;  "to  show  hackle"  is  to  be  willing  to 

fight.     Hackles  are  the  long  feathers  on  the  back  of  the 

neck  of  a  domestic  cock,  which  he  erects  when  angry. 
Haddock  (  E  ng. ) ,  a  purse. 

Hair  of  the  dog,  a  drink  taken  in  the  morning  after  an  over- 
night debauch,  on  the  principle  of  similia  similibus  curan- 

tar.     "Hair  of  the  dog,  good  for  the  bite." 
Hair-splittingr,  finding  foolish  and  trumpery  arguments. 
Haifa  bean  (Eng.),  half  a  sovereign;  ten  shillings. 
Half  a  couter  (Eng.),  half  a  sovereign.    From  the  Gripsy 

cuta^  a  gold  coin. 
Half  ahogr  (Eng.),  sixpence. 

Half  and  half  (Eng.),  a  mixture  of  mild  ale  and  porter. 
Haifa  stretch  (Eng.),  six  months  in  prison,    A  "stretch" 

is  a  year. 
Half  a  tusheron,  half-a-crown,  English  money. 
Half  baked  (Eng.),  soft  witted;  doughy. 
Half  bull  (Eng.),  half  a  crown;  two  shillings  and  sixpence. 

Otherwise  "two  bob  and  a  bender"  or  "half  a  dollar." 
Ete.lfKM>cked»  "to  go  off"  (Am.),  to  start  before  one  is 

ready. 


136  HAL— HAN 

Half  mourning  (Eng.),  a  black  eye.     Where  both  optics 

are  discolored  it  is  known  as  "deep  grief." 
Half  seas  over  (Old  Eng.),  drunk. 
Hamfatter  (Am.),  or  more  briefly  "ham,"  a  tenth-rate  actor 

or  variety  performer. 
Hand,  "a  cool  hand,"  a  person   with  plenty   of  assurance. 

Sometimes  *'a  cool  bird." 
Hand  (Eng.),  a  workman  or  helper,  as  a  "factory  hand." 
Hander  (Eng.),  a  second  or  assistant. 

Handicap  (Eng.),  the  adjustment  of  competitors  in  a  race 
according  to  their  ages,  lecorded  speed,  or  supposed  capac- 
ity, so  as  to  as  nearly  as  possible  equalize  them. 

Handle  (Eng.),  the  nose. 

Handle,  to  manage;  to  overcome. 

Handle  "to  fly  off  the"  (Am.),  to  lose  one's  temper. 

Handle  to  one's  name  (Eng.),  a  title. 

Handling  (Eng.),  at  cards,  means  the  concealment  of  valua- 
ble cards  for  the  purpose  of  cheating. 

HAnd-me-downs  (Eng.),  second-hand  clothes, or  slop- made 

garmets. 
Hand  out  (Am.),  a  cold  lunch  given  to  a  tramp. 
Hand-running,  consecutively. 
Hang  (Am.),  "to  get  the  hang  of,"  to  acquire  the  knack  of 

doing  anything. 
Hang  around  (Am.),  to  loiter  about  or  loaf. 
Hanging  (Eng.),  said  of  one  in  difficulties;  a  man  to  whom 

any  change  must  be  an  improvement. 
Hang  it  up,  to  obtain  credit.     Equivalent  to  "put  it  on  the 

slate"  or  on  the  ice. 
Hangman's  wages,  thirteen  pence  half  penny  of  English 

money. 


HAN— HAR  137 

Hangout  (Eng.),  to  reside.  "Where  do  you  hang  out?" 
"your  sign"  being  implied. 

Hang- up  (Am.),  to  pawn. 

Hang  up  (Am.),  to  rob  with  violence  on  the  street.  See 
Hold  up. 

Hannah,  "that's  what's  the  matter  with"  (Am.),  an  expres- 
sion used  to  corroborate  an  asseveration,  expressive  of  cer- 
tainty. 

Hansel  or  Handsel  (Old  Eng.),  the  first  money  taken  in  on 
any  day.     The  vendor  generally  spits  on  the  coin  for  luck. 

Happy  as  a  clam  (Am.),  a  New  England  simile  for  joy  ful- 
ness. 
Happy-go-lucky  (Eng.),  careless;  indifferent  to  fortune. 

Hard  case  (Am.),  a  dissipated  man;  a  tough. 

Hard-headed,  obstinate. 

Hard  lines  (Old),  hardship,  poverty.  Lines  is  the  equiva- 
lent of  lot;  thus  in  the  Bible:  "The  lines  have  fallen  unto 
me  in  pleasant  places." 

Hard  mouthed  'un  (Eng.  stable  slang),  a  difficult  person  to 
manage,  like  a  hard-mouthed  horse. 

Hard  pan,  the  rock  which  lies  below  the  surface  soil ;  the 
foundation  or  bottom.  "Getting  down  to  hard  pan"  is  get- 
ting down  to  business. 

Hard  pushed,  in  difficulties;  short  of  money. 

Hard  row  to  hoe  (Am.),  a  difficult  task  to  perform;  analogy 
drawn  from  work  in  the  corn  or  cotton  field. 

Hard  run,  in  want  of  money. 

Hard  shell,  a  variety  of  Baptists,  who  consider  themselves 
the  only  orthodox  crowd. 

Hard  stufif,  money.     Also  applied  to  whisky. 

Hard  tack,  ship  biscuit.     Soft  Tommy  is  fresh  bread. 

Hard-up,  poor  and  in  distress. 


138  HAR— HEA 

Hard-up,  a  fellow  who  picks  up  stumps  of  cigars  from  the 

gutters. 
Hare-brained,  reckless,  foolish.     The  hare  is  credited  with 

little  wisdom. 
Harris,  Mrs.,  the  mythical  friend  of   Sairy   Gamp,  whom 

she  quoted  on  all  occasions.     See  Martin  Ckuzzlewit. 

Harry  or  Old  Harry,  the  Devil.  "To  raise  Old  Harry"  is 
to  create  a  disturbance. 

Harum-scarum,  wild,  reckless. 

Hash,  a  mess,  confusion.  To  "hash  up"  is  to  jumble  to- 
gether. 

Hash,  "to  settle  one's"  is  to  finish  him. 

Hatchet,  "to  bury"  or  "to  dig  up"  (Am.).  When  Indians 
are  about  to  go  to  war  they  are  said  to  dig  up  the  war 
hatchet;  after  peace  is  made  the  symbolic  weapon  is  buried 
again. 

Hatchet,  "to  throw  the,"  to  tell  lies.     See  Long  bow. 

Hawbuck  (Eng.),  a  clodpole  or  greenhorn;  an  ignorant 
country  fellow. 

Hawkeye  State  (Am.),  Iowa. 

Hawse-holes,  "to  come  in  through,"  to  begin  on  board  a 
ship  as  an  ordinary  seaman  instead  of  "coming  on  board 
through  the  cabin  windows,"  as  the  "middies"  are  said  to 
do. 

Haze  (Eng.),  to  bully  or  annoy  a  subordinate  or  a  freshman 
at  college.  "Hazing"  has  caused  much  trouble  at  West 
Point  Academy  and  at  different  universities. 

Hazy  (Eng.),  half  drunk;  also  dull,  stupid. 

Header  (Eng.),  a  plunge  foremost  into  the  water.  In  the 
"tank  drama"  at  theatres  of  the  transpontine  order  the  hero 
takes  sensational  "headers"  into  the  water  to  the  great  de- 
light of  the  gallery  "gods." 


HEA— HEE  139 

Head  or  tail,  «I  can't  make  head  or  tail  of  it,"  1.  «.,  cannot 

understand. 

Head  like  a  sieve  ( Am.),8aid  of  one  which  holds  no  knowl- 
edge. 

Head-rails  (Eng.),  teeth. 

Head  seragr,  the  master  or  overseer;  anyone  m  authority. 
Derived  from  the  Hindu  serang^  for  boatsw^ain. 

Heap,  «»a  heap  of  people,"  a  number.  "Struck  all  of  a 
heap,"  astonished. 

Heat,  in  horse-racing,  a  round  or  turn.  Mile  heats,  best 
three  in  five,  means,  for  instance,  that  the  horses  trot  or  run 
in  each  turn  one  mile,  the  losers  dropping  out  and  the  win- 
ners finally  settling  the  race  between  them. 

Heave,  to  throw. 

Heavies  (Eng.),  the  heavy  dragoon  regiments. 

Heavy,  large ;  a  "heavy"  amount. 

Heavy-weight,  a  pugilist  of  the  first  rank. 

Heavy  wet  (Eng.),  malt  liquor,  especially  stout  or  porter. 

Hedge,  in  the  language  of  the  betting  ring  means  to  secure 
oneself  from  loss  over  one  bet  by  making  another  or  several 
others.  Thus,  early  in  the  racin^'  season,  A  backs  the 
horse  Highflyer  at  50  to  i — say  $1,000  to  $20.  The  horse 
from  one  cause  or  another  is  made  a  favorite  and  starts  at 
4  to  I  against  him.  A  then  lays  that  price,  $80  to  $30, 
against  Highflyer.  If  the  horse  wins  A  receives  $1,000 
and  has  to  pay  out  $80.  If  the  horse  loses  A  receives 
$20  and  has  to  pay  out  $20.  If  he  has  backed  several 
horses  which  appreciate  enough  to  enable  him  to  t'hedge" 
properly  he  may  "stand  to  win"  on  any  one  of  them  and 
not  lose  in  any  case.  This  is  known  as  Standing  on 
Velvet,  (^.  z>.) 

Heeled,  armed  or  provided  for. 

Heeler,  the  backer  of  another,  as  of  a  gambler  or  a  striker* 
A  heeler  also  "stakes"  gamblers  who  are  "dead  broke." 


I40  HEE— HIG 

Heels,  "two  for  his  heels,"  two  points  taken  in  cribbage  by 

the  dealer  who  turns  up  the  jack. 

Heel-taps,  small  quantities  of  wine  left  in  the  bottoms  of  the 

glasses. 
Heft  (Am.),  weight.     To   heft   anything   is   to  lift   it.     A 

"hefty"  man  is  a  heavy,  chunky   fellow;    a  man  of  his 

hands. 
Hell,  a  gambling   house,  formerly  divided  into  **gold*'  and 

"silver"  hells. 
Hell  and  Tommy,  utter  destruction. 
Help  (Am.),  a  domestic  servant  or  hired  hand. 
Helter-skelter,  confused ;  without  order  or  precedence. 
Hemp  cravat,  the  hangman's  noose. 
Hempen  garter,  the  hangman's  rope. 
Hempen  widow  (Old  Cant),  the  widow  of   one   who    has 

been  hanged. 

"In  the  box  of  a  stone  jug  I  was  bom, 
Of  a  hempen  widow  the  kid  forlorn. 
Nix  my  dolly,  pals.  Fake  away," 

— Ainsworth. 

Hen  convention  (Am.),  a  gathering  of  women  for  political 
or  social  purposes. 

Henpecked  (Eng.),  said  of  one  who  permits   his   wife  to 
have  everything  her  own  way. 

Herring-pond  (Eng.),  the  sea.    "Gone  across  the  pond," 

transported. 
Hey,  Rube  (Am.),  the  rallying  cry  of  circus  employees  when 

attacked  by  outsiders.     The  Guelfs  and  Ghibellines  rallied 

their  followers    by   the  cries  "Hie    Waiblingen,"   "Hie 

Welf." 
Hiding,  a  thrashing.     "Tanning  the  hide,"  beating  severely. 
Higgledy-piggledy,  confusedly,  all  of  a  heap,  as  pigs  lie. 


HIG— HIT  141 

Hlgrhbinder  (Am.),  a  class  of  Chinese  in  San  Francisco 
who  blackmail  gamblers  and  prostitutes,  and  who  '"remove'* 
by  the  knife  or  pistol  those  who  incur  the  enmity  of  their 
organization. 

High  Church,  the  ritualistic  or  Puseyite  party  in  the  Angli- 
pan  or  Episcopalian  church.  Low  churchmen  are  the  so- 
called  Evangelicals,  who  affect  little  respect  for  forms 
which  they  pronounce  papistical. 

High,  *'how  is  that  for  high?"  an  inquiry  often  made  a  few 
years  ago  on  all  occasions,  but  now  out  of  date,  Meaning 
it  has  none. 

High  (Am.^,  *'too  high  for  his  nut,"  beyond  one's  reach; 
above  his  oend. 

Highfalutin'  ^ Am.),  showy,  stuck  up,  affected ;  high^ound- 

ing,  bombastic. 
High-flyer,  one  who  lives  well,  spends  money  freely,  and 

goes  in  for  society  and  life  in  general. 
High  jinks  (  Scotch  ) ,  a  jollification.     See  Scott  in  Guy  Man- 

nering. 
High-kicker,  a  ballet  dancer. 
Hlghlows  (Eng.),  laced  boots. 
High-roller  (Am.),  a  fast  liver;    one  who  gambles   freely 

and  for  large  sums. 
High-toned  (Am.),  aristocratic,  stylish,  fashionable. 
Hill  of  beans,  "not    worth  a,"  used    to  express    absolute 

worthlessness. 
Hipped,  low  spirited,  dull,  hypochondriacal. 
Hire  a  hall  (Am.),  advice  offered  to  a  man  who  talks  too 

long  to  suit  his  audience. 
His  nibs,  anyone  in  authori^,  from  President  to  Police  Court 

Justice. 
Bitch,  a  difficulty;  a  knot  tied  in  a  rope. 


142  HIT— HOE 

Hitched  (Am.),  mirried.     From  the  hitching  necessary  for 

harness.     Where  the  couple  do  not  agree  they  are  said  "not 

to  hitch." 
Hitch  up,  to  harness  horses  to  a  wagon  or  buggy. 
Hit  the  pipe  (Am.),  to  smoke  opium.     Opium  "joints"  are 

found  in  most  large  cities  where  Chinese  and  others  "hit  the 

pipe"  until  reduced  to  insensibility. 
Hoax,  to  deceive,  was  originally  Cant  and  is  a  corruption  of 

Hocus,  (j-.  V.)     The  word  is  now,  however,  given   in 

standard  dictionaries. 
Hob  and  nob,  to  drink  together. 
Hobble,  "in  a,"  in  trouble. 
Hobbled,  fastened  as  horses  are,  by  the  feet. 
Hobbledehoy,  a  youth  in  his  callow  stage;  neither  man  nor 

boy. 
Hobson's  choice,  that  or  nothing;  take  it  or  leave  it.     From 

the  name  of  a  livery  stable  keeper  in  the  town  of  Cambridge 

who  insisted  on  his   customers   always   taking   the   horse 

nearest  the  stable  door,  no  matter   what   their  preference 

might  be. 
Hock  (Am.),  the  last  card  remaining  in  the  deal-box  at  faro. 

The  soda  card  is  the  top  card  of  the  deck  when  the  cards 

are  placed  in  the  dealing-box.     Hence  the  phrase  "from 

Soda  to  Hock,"  (^.  v.),  equivalent  to  from  Alpha  to  Omega. 
Hocus,  to  drug  for  the  purpose  of  robbery.     To  hocus  a 

horse  is  to  poison  him. 
Hocus-pocus,  cabalistic  words  used  by  gipsies  and  conjurers, 

and  supposed  to  be  a  corruption  of  Monkish  Latin. 
Hodge  (Eng.),  generic  name  for  a  countryman.     Sometimes 

Giles  is  used  in  the  same  sense,  both  being  common  names 

among  the  rural  population. 
Hoe-cake  (Am.),  a  cake  made  of  corn-meal  unleavened  and 

baked  in  the  ashes  on  the  side  of  a  hoe. 


HOE— HOO  143 

Hoe-down  (Am.),  a  negro  dance;  same  as  Breakdown, 
{q,  V.) 

Hoe  one's  own  row  (Am.),  to  do  one's  appointed  task,  as  in 
work  in  the  corn  or  cotton  field. 

Hog  (Eng.), a  shilling. 

Hogrged  (Eng.),  is  said  of  a  horse's  mane,  cut  so  as  to  stick 
up  like  a  hog's  bristles.  Roached  is  the  American  equiv- 
alent. 

Hog  wallow  (Am.),  a  sink  hole  or  mud  spring  on  the  prai- 
rie where  the  hogs  delight  to  roll. 

Hogwash,  worthless  newspaper  matter,  otherwise  known  as 
slush,  swash  and  flub-dub. 

Hoisting,  shoplifting. 

Hold  on  (German  Halt  a«),stop. 

Hold  out  (Am.),  an  apparatus  used  by  gamblers  for  the  pur- 
pose of  cneating  by  "holding  out"  desirable  cards. 

Hold  your  horses,  go  easy ;  don't  become  excited. 

Hole  in  a  ladder;  a  man  unable  to  see  one  is  either  very 
stupid  or  very  drunk. 

HoUow,  "to  beat  hollow,"  to  excel. 

Holt,  "to  take,"  to  take  hold. 

Homely  (Am.),  not  handsome;  plain  in  appearance.  In 
England  the  word  means  homelike,  plain,  unpretending. 

Honunock  or  Hununock,  a  small  elevation  or  knob  of  land, 
Hummocky  ice  is  that  which  has  been  elevated  by  the 

winds  or  waves  above  the  other  ice. 

~y  '  '  ■ 

Homo  {^Lingua  Franca)^  a  man,  from  the  Latin. ^ 

Honey-fugle,  to  cheat  or  deceive;  to  delude  by  means  of  fine 
phrases. 

Honor  bright  (Eng.),  an  asseveration  of  truth. 

Hoodlum  (Am.),  a  tough  or  street  loafer.  The  name  orig- 
inated in  San  Francisco  . 


144  tiOO— HOR 

Hoodoo,  a  hegto  phfase  nlgtiHjitig  that  a  person  or  thifl^ 
has  been  bewitched.  Anything  or  any  person  may  be  a 
«hoodoOj"that  is,  have  the  power  to  bring  bad  luck,  just  as 
any  person  or  thing  may  be  a  Mascot  (j-.  v.),  and  bring 
good  luck. 

Hooky  "on  his  own  hook,"  doing  business  for  himself. 

Hook  it  or  Slitig- your  hook  (Eng.),  go  away.     Compare 

Git  (Am.) 
Hooks,  fingers. 

"Then  his  dies  my  hooks  I  throw  in, 
And  collar  his  dragons  clean  away." 

— S/atiiff  sfftig  by  Father  Promt. 

Hooks,  "dropped  off  the,"  dead. 

Hook  or  crook,  "by,"  by  fair  means  or  foul. 

Hookey  (Am.),  to  play  truant.     English  boys  say  "playing 

the  wag." 
Hoosier  (Am.),  an  Indiana  man. 
Hop  (Am.),  a  dance. 
Hop  merchant,  a  dancing  master. 
Hopping  mad  (Am.),  exceedingly  angry,  mad   enough   to 

hop  about. 
Hop  the  twig,  to  die.     See  "Kick  the  bucket,"  "Peg  out," 

etc. 
Horn  (Am.),  a  drink  of  spirits. 
Horn  (Am.),  "in  a  horn,"  as  applied  to  any  statement  means 

the  exact  reverse  of  the  words  spoken.     The   English 

equivalent  is  Over  thb  left  {q.  v.) 

Horaie  or  Aiild  Horaie  (Scotch),  the  devil. 
Homswoggle  (Am.),  to  cheat.     See   Shenanegan   and 

Skullduggery. 
Horror*,  low  spirits,  inciptefit   delirium  tremens^  otherwise 

known  as  D.  T. 


HOTl— HOW  i45 

Horse  (Eng.}^  t*  flog,  from  the  old  wooden  horse  used  as  a 
flogging  stool. 

Horse  and  horse  or  Horse  atid  ( Am.)y  in  throwing  poker 
dice  when  each  player  wins  one  throw;  the  third  horse  de- 
cides the  game. 

Horseback,  in  miner's  parlance,  a  fault  in  a  seam  of  coal. 

Horse^haunter  (E>ng.),  a  lo\*r.clas9  horse  dealer  who 
chaunts  the  praises  of  some  miserable  screw. 

Horse  marine  (Am.),  an  awkward  person.  Sailors  have 
little  respect  for  iiiarines. 

Horse  nails  (Eng.),  money. 

Horse  on  me  (Am.),  one  against  the  speaker.  See  Horse 
AND  HoRSft. 

Horse  sense  (Am.),  d  very  desirable  quality;  good,  sound, 
practical  common-sense. 

Horsey  (Eng.),  like  a  groom  or  jockey.  iWen  vvhose  talk 
is  of  the  turf  and  of  little  else. 

!d[oss  (Am.),  corruption  of  horse.  "Old  Hoss"  is  a  term  of 
endearment.     An  Englishman  calls  a  horse  a  "hoss." 

hotfoot,  pursuit  on  the  moment.  Or  to  get  away  in  a 
hurry. 

Hot  coppers  (Eng.),  fever  in  the  mouth  and  throat  follow- 
ing an  overnight  debauch. 

Houses,  "safe  as"  (Eng.),  certain;  real  estate  and  buildings 
being  held  to  be  a  safer  investment  than  any  other  form  of 
property. 

House-warming,  an  entertainment  given  to  celebrate  settle- 
ment in  a  new  house. 

How?  lor  "What  did  you  say?"  is  a  common  New  England- 
ism. 

How  came  you  so,  intoxicated. 

Howdie  (Scotch),  a  midwife. 


146  HOW— HUM 

Howdy,  a  provincialism  for  "How  do  you  do?" 

Howisthatfor  liigrli?  (Am.),  an  inquiry  often  made  now- 
a-days  in  regard  to  practically  any  happening. 

Hubble-bubble,  a  hookah  or  water-pipe. 

Hub  of  the  Universe  (Am.),  the  city  of  Boston. 

Huckster,  a  peddler. 

Hue  and  cry,  to  follow  a  fugitive  criminal  with  a  hastily- 
summoned  posse. 

HufT,  a  dodge  or  trick. 

Huff,  in  the  game  of  draughts  means  the  penalty  for  not  tak- 
ing an  opponent's  piece  when  the  game  requires  it.  The 
Scotch  say  "blow." 

Huff,  to  vex  or  offend.     Huffy  means  short-tempered. 

Hugger-mugger,  all  mixed  up.  Also  to  hush  up  or  to  plot 
clandestinely. 

Hulking,  a  hulking  brute  is  a  big  ruffian,  such  as  hang  about 
street  corners. 

Human  (Am.),  for  human  being;  a  man.  A  term  much 
used  in  the  United  States. 

Hum  and  haw,  to  hesitate  or  to  raise  objections  of  a  trivial 
character. 

Humble  pie,  to  eat ;  to  give  in  or  be  submissive. 

Hum-box  (Old  Eng.),  a  pulpit.  "Old  Cotton  humming  his 
pray." 

Humbug,  an  imposition ;  a  fraud.  The  word  came  first  into 
use  about  the  middle  of  the  eighteenth  century.  The  game 
of  double-dummy  whist  was  formerly  known  as  humbug. 
It  is  probably  derived  from  ambiguous. 

Humdrum,  tedious,  monotonous. 

Humming,  as  applied  to  ale  means  strong.  Probably  from 
the  humming  in  the  ears  which  follows  strong  potations. 

Hummock  (See  HoMMocK,a;i/e),  small  elevations  on  the 
prairie. 


HUM— HU3  147 

Hmnp,  **having  the  hump,"  out  of  sorts,  annoyed,  low-spir- 
ited.   "It  gives  me  the  hump." 

Hump  up,  "to  have  one's,"  to  be  cross  or  ill-tempered,  as  a 
cat  sets  its  back  up  when  annoyed. 

Hunch  (Eng.),  a  piece  of  anything. 

Hunch,  to  push  or  jostle. 

Huugr  beef,  that  which  is  hung  up  in  the  sun  to  dry. 

Hunk  (See  Chunk)  a  large  piece  or  lump. 

Hunk  (Dutch  ^0»>&),  the  goal  or  home  in  a  child's  game. 
Thence  applied  to  mean  safe. 

Hunkers  (Am.),  a  section  of  the  Democratic  party  in  New 
York  State  forty  or  more  years  ago.  See  Barnburners, 
ante. 

Hunki-dori  (Am.),  all  right. 

Hunks,  "Old  Hunks,"  a  miser. 

Hunky  (Am.),  "all  hunky,"  good,  jolly,  all  right. 

Hurdy-gurdy,  an  alleged  musical  instrument  worked  by  a 
crank,  and  known  in  Italy  as  the  "viola." 

Hurly-burly  (Old  Eng.),  noise,  confusion.     See  Macbeth. 
Hurrah,   a   noisy   expression   of   delight.     *»On   a  hurrah" 
means  on  a  triumphant  drunk. 

Hurry  up  (Am.),  hasten.      Within   the  last  twenty  years 

the   expression   has  largely  supplanted   the   old-fashioned 

"make  haste"  in  England. 
Husband's  tea  (Eng.),  very  weak  tea,  such  as  a  man  gets 

who  comes  late  to  the  table. 
Hush-money,  blackmail. 
Hush-shop  (Eng.),  a  place  where  liquor  is  sold  on  the  quiet 

and  without  a  license. 
Hush  up,  be  silent;  be  quiet. 
Husky  (Am.),  stout,  well-built 


148  HUS-.-HYP 

QuflSf  (Eng.),  ftn  i^probrious  term  applied  to  a  girl.  Orig- 
inally its  character  stood  much  higher  than  now,  being 
identical  with  housewife. 

Hustler  (Am.),  one  who  i^  energetic  ^nd  pushing  in  busi- 
ness     Otherwise  a  Rustj.er. 

Hypocrites,  pillow-shams;  false  covers  for  pillows. 

Hyps,  blwe  4evil8,    ^yp^ED  or  Hipped,  out  of  sprtg. 


I 


nk  (O,  E,yiJk  "the  same*'),  an  old  form  found  both  m  Eng- 
lisn  and  Scotch,  meaning  the  same.  Thus,Chaucer  has 
this  "ilk  worthe  knight"  and  "that  ilk  man."  It  is  still  not 
unknown  in  Scotland  in  connection  with  family  desigpia- 
tions;  thus,"Kinloch  of  that  ilk"  means  "Kinloch  of  the  es- 
tate" of  the  same  name,  or  "Kinloch  of  Kinloch."  Often  ig- 
norantly  used  to  mean  "of  that  description,"  as  in  "carpet- 
baggers and  politicians  of  that  ilk." 

HI,  in  England  a  person  in  bad  health  is  "ill;"  in  this  country 
he  is  always  "sick,"  even  if  his  trouble  arises  from  a  broken 
leg. 

In,  to  be  in  with  one  is  to  be  on  terms  of  intimacy  or  friendship 
with  him. 

Infkntry,  young  children. 

Influence  (Am.),  the  peculiar  "inflooence"  possessed  by  pol- 
iticians and  used  to  obtain  office.     See  Pull. 

In  for  it,  in  trouble. 

Ingle  (Old  Eng.),  the  chimney  comer. 

In  it,  is  a  recent  English  coinage  and  is  about  equivalent  to 
"In  the  swim,"  which  it  has  practically  supplanted. 

Inkslinger  (Am.),  a  writer  or  editor. 

Innings  (Eng.),  good  fortune,  a  run  of  luck.  "He  has  had 
a  long  inning"  is  said  of  a  man  who  dies  in  the  fullness  of 
years.     Taken  from  the  cricket  field. 

Inside  lining,  food. 

Inside  of  (Am.),  within;  in  less  time  than. 

Inside  track,  the  position  nearest  the  rail  on  a  race-track, 

>49 


I50  INT— ISH 

desirable  as  keeping  close  to  it  shortens  the  distance  which 

has  to  be  traversed. 
Interesting  situation,  "as  ladies  wish  to  be  who  love  their 

lords." 
In  the  heart  of  the  city,  to  be  at  home;  to  succeed. 
In  the  soup  (Am.).     This  expression  originated  about  1888 

and  is  applied  to  any  unsuccessful   politician  who  "gets 

left"  or  who  of  old  was  said  to  be  "Sent  up   Salt  River," 

{g.  V.) 
In  the  straw,  a  vulgar  expression  to  signify  a  woman  in 

child-bed.     Possibly   from   the  Nativity,  when  the  Holy 

Child  was  laid  in  the  manger. 

In  the  swim,  in  society,  or  in  with  sporting  men  with  regard 
to  some  coming  event.     To  be  "playing  in  good  luck." 

In  touch  with  (Eng.),  in  sympathy,  or  having  a  full  knowl- 
edge. 

Invite  (Am.),  a  vulgar  corruption  of  "invitation"  used  by 
parvenu  society  people. 

Inwick  and  outwick,  at  the  game  of  curling,  signify  the 
peculiar  "twist"  or  "side"  given  to  stones  by  the  player, 
and  which  causes  them  to  pass  inside  or  outside  of  stones 
which  lie  between  them  and  the  goal  or  *'tee." 

Irish  apricots  or  Irish  lemons,  potatoes.  See  Bog 
ORANGES,  ante. 

Irish,  "to  get  one's  Irish  up,"  to  become  angry.  To  get 
one's  Dutch  up  means  the  same  thing. 

Iron-gray,  black  hair  turning  gray. 

Iron  horse,  a  locomotive. 

Irons  in  the  fire,  schemes  for  making  money ;  varied  occu- 
pations. 

I  should  smile  ot  snicker  or  murmur,  vulgarisms  much  in 
use  to  signify  acquiescence  with  a  statement  made.     "Are 


ITE—IVO  151 

you  going  to  the  picnic?"  "Well,  I  should  smile."  A 
little  of  this  goes  a  long  way,  but  scores  of  expressions 
of  this  character  are  in  use,  so  some  reference  to  them  is 
necessary. 

Item,  knowledge  of;  to  get  item  is  to  obtain  information. 

Ivories,  teeth.  A  set  of  teeth  is  a  box  of  "Ivories"  or  Dom- 
INOBS.    "Rinse  your  ivories"  means  take  a  drink. 


Jab,  to  strike  or  thrust. 

Jabber,  to  talk  fast.    From  Ji66  oxjabh  (Gip.),  the  tongue. 

Jack,  the  knave  in  cards. 

Jack  and  half  jack,  imitation  gold  coins  used  by  swindlers 
to  convey  the  idea  that  they  have  lots  of  money. 

Jacked  up  (Eng.),  done  for,  knocked  out. 

Jacket,  the  skin  of  a  potato. 

Jacketingr,  a  thrashing. 

Jackey  (Eng.),  gin. 

Jack  In  office,  an  official  who  presumes  above  his  position. 

Jack  in  the  box,  a  tool  used  by  burglars  to  break  open 
safes. 

Jack  Ketch  (Eng.),  the  common  hangman,  from  the  name 
of  a  public  executioner  in  England  in  the  seventeenth  cen- 
tury. The  corresponding  functionary  in  France  is  known 
as  Monsieur  de  Paris, 

Jack  of  all  trades,  one  who  has  a  smattering  of  several 
branches  of  knowledge. 

Jackpot  (Am.),  in  the  game  of  poker,  is  where  the  game 
cannot  be  opened  except  by  a  player  who  holds  a  pair  of 
jacks  or  better. 

Jack  Robinson,  "before  you  can  say"  (Eng.),  presumably 
means  in  a  great  hurry,  but  who  Robinson  was  is  as  much 
a  mystery  as  the  identity  of  the  man  who  struck  Billy  Pat- 
terson, and  why  one  should  say  Jack  Robinson  is  equally 
mysterious. 

Jack  Sprat,  a  diminutive  person. 


JAC-JAY  ,53 

Jack  Tar,  a  saflor. 

Jacqnes  Bonlionimo,  a  countryman.  The  French  equiva- 
lent for  the  English  Hodge  as  applied  to  a  rustic. 

Jade,  an  uncomplimentary  term  applied  to  a  girl.  Like 
hussy,  knave  and  some  other  Old  Saxon  words  it  once  had 
a  milder  meaning. 

Jagr  (Am.)  a  decided  and  emphatic  drunk;  a  load.  The 
word,  now  unused  in  England,  is  still  used  by  the  descend- 
ants  of  the  Puritans  in  the  East,  where  a  jag  (load)  of  hay  is 
often  spoken  of.  In  Norfolk,  England,  according  to  Grose, 
a  jag  was  a  load  or  parcel  of  any  kind. 

Jail-bird,  one  who  has  "done  time." 

Jam  (Eng.),  an  obstruction,  as  a  jam  of  logs  or  of  ice  in  a 
river. 

Jam  (Eng^,  anything  nice.  A  pretty  girl  is  "real  jam." 
See  also  Tart. 

Jamboree  (Am.),  a  spree. 

Jam  up,  good,  prime.     Same  as  "bang  up"  or  **8lap  up." 

James,  an  English  sovereign  or  pound  sterling. 

Jargon,  involved  language  of  a  barbarous  character. 

Jark  (Old  Cant),  a  seal,  or  a  pass,  or  safe  conduct. 

Jarvey  (Eng.),  a  coachman. 

Jasey  or  Jazey  (Old),  a  wig. 

Jaw,  to  talk.  "Hold  your  jaw;"  "What  are  you  jawing 
about?" 

Jawbone,  credit  To  live  on  jawbone  is  to  "stand  off'  one's 
creditors. 

Jawbreaker,  a  long  word  or  one  difficult  to  pronounce. 
Jawtwister  means  the  same. 

Jay  (Am.),  a  countryman  or  greenhorn. 

Jayhawker  (Am.),  an  irregular  (very  irregular)  cavalry- 
man who  performed   for   the  Confederacy  services  very 


154  JEA-JEW 

similar  to  those  rendered  by  the  "bummers"  to  the  Union 

forces.     The  jayhawker  was  a  guerilla  by  nature,  a  thief 

by  practice  and  often  a  murderer  and  pillager. 
Jeames,  generic  name  for  an  English  "flunkey"  or  liveried 

servant.      See  Thackeray,  Memoirs  of  yeames   De    la 

Pluche. 
Jeff,  in  printer's  slang,  to   gamble  by  throwing  "quads." 

Printers  will  "jeflP*  for  anything — for  the  choice  of  the  first 

"take"  on  the  hook  or  for  the  beer,  or  their  week's  wages. 
Jehu,  a  driver.    From  Jehu,  the  son  of  Nimshi,  who  "drove 

furiously." 
Jeminy  or  Jimminy  crikes  (Eng.),  a  vulgar  expression  of 

surprise. 
Jeiuiny  (Eng.),  a  sheep's  head. 
Jemmy  and  Jessamy,  a  pair  of  "spooning"  lovers. 
Jemmy  ducks  (Sea  term),  the  man  who  takes  care  of  the 

poultry  and  other  live  stock  on  board  ship. 
Jemmy  or  Jimmy,  a  short  crowbar,  used  by  burglars. 
Jeremy  Diddler,  an  adept  at  borrowing.     From  a  character 

in  the  farce  of  Raising  the  Wind, 
Jerked  meat  (Am.),  that  dried  in  the  open  air.     Probably 

from  the  Spanish  Chargui. 
Jerry,  a  watch.    "Jerry  nicking"  is  making  a  bold  snatch 

at  a  watch  chain  and  running  ofE  with  the  "super." 
Jerry  shop  (Eng.),  a  beer  shop. 
Jerry  sneak,  a  watch  thief.    See  Jerry,  ante, 
Jersey  lightning,  bad  face. 
Jerusalem  pony    (Eng.),  an  ass  or  donkey. 
Jesse,  "to  give  one,"  to  beat  or  scold  him.    Often  incorrectly 

given  as  "Jessie." 
Jew,  to  beat  down  in  a  bargain;   a  habit  of  the  Israelite 

trader. 


JEW-JXN  155 

Jew's  eye,  anything  of  great  value  is  said  to  be  worth  a 
Jew's  eye,  as  it  is  sometimes  said  "a  king's  ransom."   Shakes- 
peare uses  the  expression.     See  Merchant  of  Venice: 
"There  will  come  a  Christian  by 
Will  be  worth  a  Jewess'  eye." 

Jezebel,  a  woman  of  indifferent  character;  a  termagant  or 
shrew.     From  the  wife  of  Ahab,  king  of  Israel. 

Jib  (Eng.),  to  baulk.    A  Jibber  is  a  baulky  horse. 

Jib,  the  face.     "Cut  of  his  jib,"  his  appearance 

Jibb  (Gip.),  the  tongue.     From  the  Hindu. 

Jibe  (Am.),  to  agree,  to  harmonize. 

Jiffy,  «'in  a,"  on  the  moment,  quickly. 

Jiff  (Am.).     "The  jig*s  up,"  it  is  all  over. 

Jigger  (Am.),  a  small  measure  used  by  barkeepers. 

Jigger  (Am.),  the  bridge  or  rest  used  in  billiards. 

Jigger  (Eng.),  a  door,  "dub  the  jigger,"  close  the  door. 
Also  applied  by  soldiers  to  a  prison. 

JifiT&cred.    "I'll  be  jiggered,"  a  mild  form  of  Cockney  oath. 

Jim-jams,  delirium  tremens. 

Jimmy  or  James  (Eng.),  a  sheep's  head. 

Jingo,  "by  Jingo,"  a  mild  oath,  said  to  be  a  corruption  of 
St.  Gengulphus.  See  Ingoldsby  Legends.  Sometimes 
"by  the  living  Jingo."  By  supporters  of  the  Basque  etymol- 
ogy the  expression  is  alleged  to  have  originated  in  Wales, 
whither  Edward  I  is  said  to  have  had  a  party  of  Basque 
soldiers  conveyed  during  his  Welsh  wars ;  but  "Hey  Jingo" 
is  first  met  with  in  literature  in  Oldham's  Satyrs  upon  the 
yesuits  (1679).  Jingoism  is  now  understood  to  be  a  sort 
of  British  Chauvinism,  and  in  this  respect  dates  only  from 
the  Russo-Turkish  war  of  1878.  At  the  time  there  was  a 
strong  anti-Russian  feeling  in  London,  and  the  most  popu- 
lar music-hall  song  of  the  day  was  a  sort  of  doggerel  threat 
against  Russia,  beginning: 

We  don't  want  to  fight,  but  by  jingo  if  we  do, 
We've  got  the  ships,  we've  got  the  men,  we've  got  the 
money,  toa 


156  JO-JOH 

Jo  (Scotch),  a  lover  or  sweetheart.  "John  Anderson,  my 
Jo." 

Job  or  Jab,  a  blow  with  a  knife  or  sharp  instrument. 

Job  (Eng.),  a  piece  of  work.  "A  bad  job,"  misfortune. 
Job,  in  political  phraseology,  a  scheme  of  plunder,  favorit- 
ism.    A  "put-up  job"  is  a  planned  scheme. 

Jobation  or,  more  properly,  Javrbation,  a  scolding. 

Jobbery,  the  arrangement  of  unfair  schemes  or  plans  for 
political  plunder. 

Job  lot,  miscellaneous  goods  offered  at  a  bargain. 

Job's  comforter,  one  who  reproves  or  brings  additional 
trouble  instead  of  giving  consolation.  The  prophet  Job 
had  three  friends  of  this  kind  and  made  some  sarcastic  re- 
marks to  them  when  they  had  finished  talking. 

Job's  turkey,  »'as  poor  as"  (Am. ),  hard  up,  thin,  badly  fed. 
Job  possessed  camels  and  asses  and  a  wife,  but  there  is  no 
record  that  he  owned  a  poultry-farm. 

Jock,  a  jockey. 

Joctelegr  (Scotch),  a  knife. 

Joe  Miller,  an  old  and  oft-told  story;  a  "chestnut."  One 
Joseph  Miller,  an  English  clown,  is  credited  with  the  pub- 
lication of  a  book  of  moss-covered  jests,  now  in  the  posses- 
sion of  Chauncey  M.  Depew. 

Joey  (Eng.),  a  four-penny  bit.  Named  after  Joseph  Hume, 
who  caused  them  to  be  coined. 

Jog-trot,  a  slow  pace,  a  trifle  faster  than  a  walk. 

John,  common  name  for  a  Chinaman  in  the  United  States. 

JolinBull,  generic  term  for  an  Englishman;  beefy, brawny 
and  obstinate. 

Jobn  Company,  the  old  East  India  Company. 

Jolin  Oorados  (Gip.),  gold  coin. 

Jobnny  (Am.),  a  Confederate  soldier. 


JOH-JUV  157 

Johnny  cake  (Am.),  a  cake  of  unleavened  meal  baked  on 

the  hearth. 
Johnny  Crapaud,  old  name  for  a  Frenchman. 
Johnny  Raw,  a  greenhorn ;  a  new  recruit. 
John  Thomas   (See   Jeames),    an    English    footman    or 

"flunkey." 
Joint  (Am.),  an  opium-smoking  den  or  gambling- house,  or 

any  resort  of  bad  repute  is  spoken  of  as  a  "joint." 
Joker  or  liittle  joker  (Am.),  at  euchre  is  an   additional 

(53d)  card  which  ranks  as  the  highest  trump. 
Jolly  (Eng),  a  marine. 

Jolly,  to  speak  well  of  a  friend  is  to  "jolly  him." 
Josh  (Am.),  to  hoax,  chaff  or  roast  a  person;   to  make  fun 

of  him. 
Joskin  (Eng.),  a  countryman,  a  greenhorn. 
Joss,  the  Chinese  God,  from  the  Spanish  Dios, 
Jour.,  a  journeyman. 

Jug"  or  Stone  jug",  a  prison.     See  Spike  Park. 
Jugful,  "not  by  a;"  not  by  a  good  deal. 
Jug-handle  (Am.),  anything  one-sided. 
Jump,  "to  jump  on  a  man,"  to  rob  him  by  violence. 
Jumper,    a  jacket  or  short  coat. 

Jumping  a  claim  (Am.),  to  occupy  by  force  a  land  or  min- 
ing claim  rightfully  belonging  to  another.     The  refuting 

argument  is  generally  a  Winchester  rifle. 
Jumping  bail  (Am.),  absconding  while  under  bail. 
Jumping-off place  (Am.),  the  end  of  a  road  or  railroad; 

the  place  where  civilization  stops. 
Jumping-up-behind,  to  endorse   an   accommodation  bill, 

usually  an  expensive  luxury. 
Junk  (Am.),  old  iron,  rags  and  other  like  material. 
Junk,  salt  beef. 

Junk-dealer,  one  who  deals  in  old  metals,  rags  and  the  like. 
Juvenal  (Old),  a  boy. 


K 


Kanaka,  a  native  of  the  Sandwich  Islands. 

Keel  over,  to  capsize  or  upset. 

Keep,  food. 

Keep  it  up,  to  prolong  a  spree. 

Keeps,  "to  play  for,"  said  by  boys  in  playing  marbles  where 

the  winner  keeps  the  winning*.     Applied  also  to  anything 

meant  in  earnest. 
Kelter,  money.     Probably  from  the  German  gelt. 
Ken  (Gip.),  a  house.     Boozing  or  Lushing-ken,  a  tavern 

or   drinking-house.     Probably   from   the   Persian  khan^  a 

house  or  inn. 
Ken  (Scotch),  to  know. 
Kenspeckle    (Scotch),  easily   known  because   marked  or 

branded. 
Ketch,  Jack^  the  English  hangman.     According  to  Macau- 
lay  a  person  of  that  name  officiated    as  public   executioner 

temp  Charles  II.     See  Jack  Ketch,  ante. 

Kettle  offish  (Eng.),  trouble  of  any  kind.     "Here's  a  pretty 

kettle  of  fish"  is  said  of  a  muddle  or  mess. 
Key  of  the  street  (Eng.),  an  imaginary  instrument  said  to 

be  possessed  by  one  locked  out  of  doors. 
Keystone  State  (Am.),  Pennsylvania. 
Kibosh,  nonsense,  stuff,  humbug,  palaver.     To  put  the  kibosh 

on  one  is  to  deceive  him.    Another  meaning  is  to  put  a 

stop  to  anything. 
Kick  (Eng.),  a  pocket,  purse,  or  pocket-book. 

iS8 


KIC— KIN  159 

Kick  (Am.),  to  object  or  protest. 

Kick,  "I'll  be  there  in  a  kick,"  I'll  be  there  in  a  minute. 

Kick  (Eng.),  sixpence.     "Two  and  a  kick"  represents  half 

a  crown. 
Kicked  in,  smitten,  mashed. 
Kicked  the  bucket,  dead. 
Kick  over  tlie  traces,  to  be   independent  of  control,  or  to 

spend  money  extravagantly. 
Kicks,  shoes. 

Kicksbaw  (Eng.),  a  made  dish.     See II Henry  /F,  v.  i. 
Kicksies  (Eng.),  trousers. 
Kick  up,  a  noise  or  disturbance.     "To  kick  up  a  row"  or 

"kick  up  the  dust.'* 
Kid,  a  child. 

Kid,  to  joke,  chaff  or  hoax. 
Kiddily,  fashionably  dressed. 
Kid  nap,  from  kid^  a  child,  and  nah,  to  steal,  both  originally 

Gipsy  words  and  now  as  combined  meaning  to  abduct  or 

carry  away  a  person. 
Kidney,  "of  that  kidney,"  of  that  kind. 
Kid  on  (Eng.),  to  induce  a  person  to  do  anything. 
Kidsman  (Eng.),  a  trainer  of  young  thieves. 
Killock  (Am.),  a  small  anchor. 
Kilter,  "out  of"  (Am.),  off  the  level,  out  of  sorts. 
Kimbo  or  A-Kimbo,  holding  the   arms  in  a  bent  position 

from  the  body  and  resting  the  hands  on  the  hips. 
Kimmer  or  Cummer  (Scotch),  an  acquaintance  or  gossip* 
Kincbin  (Gip.),  a  child. 
Kinchin  cove  (Gip.),  one  who  robs  children. 
Kinchin  lay  (Gip.),  robbing  children  on  the  streets.    "Noah 

Claypole"  in  Oliver  Twist  was  a  proficient  in  this  art. 


i6o  KIN— KNI 

Kindlings  (Am.),  broken  wood  used  for  lighting  fires. 

King-pin  (Am.),  the  tallest  pin  at  skittles  or  ten-pins.  Used 
by  analogy  to  signify  the  chief  or  superior. 

King's  pictures  or  Queen's  pictures  (Eng.),  coin. 

Kink,  a  knot  or  twist. 

Kinky,  curly,  like  a  negroes  hair. 

Kirk  (Scotch),  a  church. 

Kiss,  at  billiards,  when  two  balls  strike  each  other  in  the 
course  of  their  movement  on  the  table,  the  stroke  not  being 
intended  by  the  player. 

Kiss-curl  or  Bowcatcher,  a  small  curl  twisted  on  the  fore- 
head. 

Kisser  (P.  R.),  the  mouth. 

Kissing-crust  (Eng.),  the  soft  crust  which  marks  where  one 
loaf  has  touched  another  in  the  oven. 

Kiss-me-quick,  a  short  veil ;  a  bonnet  not  now  in  fashion. 

Kit,  baggage  or  personal  belongings.     Also  a  "kit"  of  tools. 

Blite-flying,  raising  money  on  accommodation  bills.  See 
Flying  Kites,  ante. 

Kittle  (Scotch),  fickle,  uncertain. 

Kitty,  in  the  game  of  draw-poker,  each  player  raking  in  a 
pot  with  two  pairs  or  better,  or  winning  a  jack-pot,  puts  a 
*»chip"  into  a  hole  in  the  table  for  the  good  of  the  house. 

Knacker,  an  old  and  decrepit  horse.  Also  the  man  who 
slaughters  such. 

Knap  (Eng.),  to  steal.     No  doubt  from  Nab,  (^.  v.) 

Blnap,  to  receive  or  take. 

Kjiee-high,  of  diminutive  stature.  "Knee-high  to  a  grass- 
hopper. " 

Knickerbocker  (Am.),  a  descendant  of  one  of  the  old 
Dutch  families  of  New  York. 


KNI— KNU  i6i 

Knife  (Am.),  to  knife  a  person,  is  to  do  him  harm,  to  stab 

him  in  character  if  not  in  person, 
E[nife-board,  the  long  seat  on  top  of  a  London  omnibus. 
Knobstick  (Eng.),  a  non-union  workman.     See  Rat 
Knock-down,  strong  ale. 
Knock-down  (Am.),  to  embezzle. 
Knocked-up  (Eng.),  tired,  played  out. 
Knocker,  "up  to  the,"  swell,  in  the  height  of  fashion. 
Knocked  into  a  cocked  hat,  knocked  out  of  shape. 
Knock  oflF,  to  quit  work. 
Knock-out,  in  racing  parlance,  to  drive  a  horse  out  of  the 

betting  list.     A  bankrupt  is  said  to  be  "knocked-out." 

ELnock  out  (Am.),  an  arrangement  by  brokers  at  auction  sales 
to  refrain  irom  competition.  Anyone  of  the  gang  acquires 
the  coveted  lots  and  at  a  subsequent  sale  confined  to  the 
members  of  the  knock-out  each  man  has  the  right  to  bid 
for  the  articles  he  wants.  The  proceeds  are  then  divided 
among  the  confederates. 

Knock-out,  a  fight  in  which  one  of  the  combatants  is  rend- 
ered senseless  or  is  so  badly  damaged  as  to  be  unable  to  re- 
spond to  the  call  of  time. 

Knock  under  (Old),  to  submit. 

EUnowing',  sharp,  shrewd,  fly,  sometimes  dishonest. 

Knowledge-box  (Eng.),  the  head. 

Know-nothings,  the  so-called  American  party,  which  from 
1852  to  1856  cut  a  considerable  figure  in  politics.  They 
composed  a  secret  society  and  got  their  name  from  always 
professing  to  know  nothing  when  questioned  as  to  the  ob- 
jects of  the  order. 

Knuckle-dusters,  iron  or  brass  instruments  worn  on  the 
hands  and  used  as  a  means  of  offence. 

EInuckle  under,  to  yield  or  submit. 


•   / 


1 62  KON— KYE 

Koniacker  (Am.),  a  counterfeiter. 

Kosher  (Heb.,  right,  from  yashar^  to  be  right),  pure,  ac- 
cording to  the  Jewish  ordinances.  Thus  "Kosher  meat"  is 
meat  killed  and  prepared  by  Jews  after  the  Jewish  ma»ner, 
and  so  fit  to  be  eaten  by  Jews. 

Kotoo  or  Kotow^,  to  bow  down  to,  to  cringe  or  flatter.  From 
the  Chinese  ceremony  where  those  who  approach  the  Em- 
peror do  so  on  their  hands  and  knees. 

Kudos  (from  the  Greek),  honor,  praise,  reputation. 

Ku-Klux-Klan,  a  secret  society  in  the  Southern  States,  now 
extinct. 

Kye  (Scotch),  cattle. 


La!  or  Lawks,  a  foolish  ejaculation  used  by  women  and 

probably  a  perversion  of  "Lord." 
Lac  or  Lakh  (Hindu),  one  hundred  thousand,  as  a  "lac  of 

rupees." 
Lace,  to  thrash. 

Laced  (Eng.),  tea  with  something  stronger  in  it. 
Laced  mutton  (Old  Eng.),  a  woman;  not  a  complimentary 

term. 
Lacingr  (Eng.),  a  beating. 
Ladder,  *'a  hole  in  a,"  when  a  man  cannot  see  this  he  is  very 

drunk  indeed. 
Lag  (Old  Eng.),  to  stay  behind. 
Lag,  a  returned  convict. 
Lagged,  sent  to  prison  or  transported. 
Lagger,  an  informer. 
Lally cooler,  one  who  is  pre-eminently  successful  in  his  line;  a 

"daisy,"  a  "dandy,"  a  "darling,"  a  "lulu." 
Lam  (Eng.),  to  beat. 
Lamb,  on  the  Stock  Exchange,  the  unfortunate  speculators 

who  are  shorn  by  the  luckier  dealers. 

Lambasting  (Eng.),  a  beatmg. 

Lambs  (Eng.),  roughs,  loafers. 

Lame  duck,  a  bankrupt  stock-jobber  or  broker. 

Lamming,  a  beating. 

Lamps,  "under  the,"  said  of  London  or  any  other  large  city. 

Land-K;rab,  in  sailor's  phrase,  a  land-lubber. 

i6i 


i64  LAN— LAV 

IJand-grabbers  (Am.),  people  who  under  the  forms  of  law 

or  in  defiance  of  them  get  possession  of  the  public  domain 

or  of  the  property  of  individuals. 
Land-lubber,  a  sailor's  term  for  a  landsman. 
Land-shark,  a  sailor's  term  for  a  lawyer.     Also  applied  to 

the  keepers  of  sailor's  boarding-houses  who  rob  poor  Jack 

through  thick  and  thin. 
Land's  sake  (Am.),  an  expression  of  surprise. 
Lap,  once  around  a  short  circular  or  elliptical  course;  so  many 

laps  to  the  mile. 
Lariat  (Sp.),  la  riata)^  a  rope  of  rawhide,  hemp  or  sea-grass 

used  for  catching  Texas  steers  and  mustangs.     Practically 

the  same  as  Lasso,  {^q.  f.) 
Lark,  a  frolic,  a  spree. 
Larrikin,  street  loafers  are  known  in  Sydney,  N.  S.  W.,  by 

this  name.     In  New  York  they  are  ''Broadway  statues;" 

in  Baltimore  "plug-uglies;"  in  San  Francisco  "hoodlums," 

and  everywhere  "rowdies." 
Larrup  (Irish),  to  beat. 
Larruppin^  (Irish),  a  beating. 
Lashins  (Irish),  plenty.     "Lashins  of  whisky  and  tobacco 

galore"  are  the  necessary  accompaniments  of  a  well-con- 

ducted  "wake." 
Lass  or  Liassie  (Scotch),  a  girl. 

Lassitudinous,  a  Malapropian  expresion  for  languid,  lazy. 
Lasso  (See  Lariat,  ante)^  a  rope  used  by  cowboys  to  catch 

cattle  or  ponies,  the  noose  being  thrown  around  the  ani- 
mals horns  or  neck. 
Latchpan,  the  lower  lip. 

Late  Unpleasantness,  the  American  Civil  War  of  1861-65. 
Laiby,  thin,  like  a  lath. 
Lave  (Scotch)  the  remainder. 


LAV— LED  165 

LaTender,  "laid  up  in,"  put  carefully  somewhere;  in  pawn 
or  in  a  debtor's  prison. 

liSw,  "to  give,"  to  give  a  start  as  true  sportsmen  gfive  a  hare 
or  other  animal  before  laying  the  dogs  on. 

liawin  (Scotch),  the  reckoning. 

Lawing,  going  to  law. 

I^ay,  to  bet  against  a  horse  in  a  race  or  a  man  in  any  contest. 
Betters  are  divided  into  layers  and  backers.  The  Book- 
maker (f.  V.)  lays  against  everything  at  the  market  odds 
or  less. 

I^ay,  a  dodge;  a  pursuit  or  practice. 

liay,  "on  the  lay,"  a  thieves  term  for  the  particular  branch  of 
conveyancing  in  which  they  may  be  engaged.  See  Kin- 
chin-lay. 

liay,  "What  lay  are  you  on?"  What  scheme  or  work  have 
you  on  hand. 

Laying  pipe,  making  arrangements  to  ensure  the  passage  or 
defeat  of  some  measure  before  a  legislative  body.  See 
Pipe-laying,  Wire-pulling  and  Log-rolling. 

Lay  on  thick,  to  flatter. 

Lay-out,  the  painted  table  at  faro,  representing  the  cards. 

Lead,  "friendly."     See  Friendly  lead,  anie. 

Lean-to,  an  addition  to  a  house  or  barn,  generally  of  one 
story,  with  the  roof  leaning  against  the  wall  of  the  main 
building. 

Lear  (Scotch),  learning. 

Leary,  flash,  knowing,  sly. 

Leather,  to  thrash. 

Leather  (Am.),  a  pocketbook. 

Leaving  shop  (Eng.),  an  unlicensed  pawnshop. 

Led  captain  (Eng.),  a  fashionable  pimp.  Doll  Tearsheet 
objected  strongly  to  Ancient  Pistol  styling  himself  "cap- 


i66  LEE— LEV 

tain,"  and  said  the  word  had  become  as  odious  as  *'occupy" 

which  was  a  good  word  until  it   became  ill-sorted.     See 

II  King  Kenry  IV.  act  ii^  sc.  4.. 
liCer  (Gip.),  a  newspaper. 

Leery  or  Leary,  doubtful,  uncertain.     Also  drunk. 
Left  out  in  the  cold,  neglected,  shut  out. 
Leg",  in  playing   cards  the  game  is   sometimes   scored   with 

chalk  marks  crossed ;  one  "leg"  of  each  mark  being  rubbed 

out  for  each  point  scored. 
Leg,  an  abbreviation  of  Blackleg  {jj.  v.),  a  swindler. 
Leg,  in  seamanship,  tacking;  "a  long  and  a  short  leg." 
Leg  and  leg,  the  state  of  a  game  when  each  member  has  lost 

a  "leg."     Same  as  Horse  and  horse,  ante. 
Leg-bail,  "to  give"  to  forfeit  one's  bail  by  absconding. 
Leg  it,  to  run  away. 
Leg  piece,  a  burlesque  or  opera  bouffe  performance,  in  which 

the  chief  attraction  is  the  young  ladies  of  the  ballet. 
Let  alone,  a  Cockneyism  for  "much  less.' 
Let  drive,  to  strike  at. 

Let  her  rip  (Am.),  let  things  go:  move  on  ahead. 
Let  in,  swindled. 
Let  on,  to  tell,  to  acknowledge. 
Let  the  cat  out  of  the  hag,  to  divulge  a  secret. 
Letup,  a  rest;  a  relief;  to  quit. 
Levant,  to  abscond. 
Levee,  a  reception.     French,  lever. 
Levee  (Fr.),  an  embankment  on  the  side  of  a  river,  very 

frequent  along  the  lower  Mississippi. 
Level  best,  "to  do  one's,"  to  go  to  the  full  extent  of  one's 

ability. 
Level-headed,  of  good  judgment. 


LEV— LIM  tClf 

Levy  (Am.),  a  shilling. 

liick,  a  blow;  to  lick  is  to  thrash 

liicking:,  a  beating. 

Lickspittle,  a  parasite  who  submits  to  indignities  for  the 

sake  of  advantages.     One  who  "crooks  the  pregnant  hinges 

of  the  knee,  that  thrift  may  follow  fawning." 
Lie  out  of  whole  cloth  (Am.),  an  absolute  fabrication. 
Lifer,  a  convict  sentenced  for  life. 

Lift,  to  steal;  to  pick  pockets.     Shakespeare  uses  the  word. 
Lifter  (Old  Eng.),  a  thief.     See  Troilus  and  Cressida  !<,  2, 
Lig  (Old  Eng.),  to  lie  down. 
Light,  credit.     "To  get  a  light"  is  to  obtmn  credit,  while  to 

have  one's  "light  put  out"  is  to  have  credit  stopped.     The 

last  expression  refers  also  to  death. 
Lightmans  (Gip.),  the  day.     The  Gipsy  term  for  night  is 

Darkmans. 
Lightning,  gin.    Jersey  lightning  is  a  variety  of  alleged 

whiskey,  which  kills  at  forty  rods;    otherwise  known   as 

Sudden  death  {g.  v.) 
Lightning  jerker,  a  telegraph  operator. 
Lights,  the  lungs  of  animals. 
Lights  or  Daylights,  the  eyes. 
Light  out,  to  run  away. 

Light-weight,  of  little   importance;    weak.    In  the  prize- 
ring  applied  to  light-built  pugilists  below  a  certain  weight. 
Like,  is  used  for  "as;"  "like  I  do"  for  "as  I  do."     Also  for 

"as  if"  or  "as  though. 
Like  a  hook,  "to   know  one,"  to  be  well   acquainted  with 

him ;  to  have  studied  him. 
Limh,  "a  young  limb,"  a  troublesome  child. 
Limher,  supple. 
Limho,  a  prison.    From  the  Catholic  term  for  purgatory. 


i68  LIM— LIT 

liimb  of  the  Law,  a  lawyer's  clerk  or  young  attorney. 

liine,  "to  get  one  in  a,"  to  get  some  sport  out  of  him. 

I^ne,  "What  line  are  you  in?"  calling,  trade,  profession. 

liines  (Eng.),  a  marriage  certificate.  The  lady  who  can 
"show  her  marriage  lines"  never  fails  to  use  that  fact  in  an 
argument  with  her  opponent,  who  is  living  in  concubinage. 

liines  (Am.),  reins. 

lAngo,  talk  or  language;  from  the  Italian  lingua. 

liingua-Franca,  the  corrupt  Italian  which  has  been  em- 
ployed since  the  period  of  the  Genoese  and  Venetian  su- 
premacy, as  the  language  of  commercial  intercourse  in  the 
Mediterranean,  especially  the  Levant.  Any  language 
which  serves  a  similar  purpose,  as  for  instance  Swahili  and 
Haussa  in  Africa,  and  the  Chinook  jargon  in  the  northwest 
of  the  United  States,  is  called  generally  a  "lingua-franca." 
Compare  Pigeon  English. 

Hon  (Eng.),  a  notable  person;  one  whom  people  flock  to 
see  as  they  would  a  menagerie. 

Lion-hunter,  one  who  hunts  up  and  makes  much  of  celebri- 
ties or  notorieties.     Such  as  Mrs.  Leo  Hunter  in  Pickwick. 

Lionize,  to  make  much  of  a  distinguished  visitor. 

Lip,  impudence. 

Lip,  to  sing. 

Liquor  up  (Am.),  to  take  a  drink. 

Lissom,  relaxed,  limber. 

Little  end  of  the  horn,  "to  come  out  at  the,"  to  fail  in  an 
undertaking. 

Little  go,  the  minor  examinations  at  English  universities, 
known  as  Smalls  (^.  x'.) 

Little  Joker,  the  little  pea  under  the  thimble  in  the  thimble- 
rigging game. 

Little  William,  a  blU. 


LIV— LOG  169 

IA\e  out  (Am.),  to  be  at  service,  to  live  as  a  domestic  ser- 
vant. 
liive  stock,  vermin. 

liO,  applied  to  the  aborigines,  from  Pope's  lines: 
Lo!  the  poor  Indian,  whose  untutored  mind. 
Sees  God  in  clouds,  or  hears  Him  in  the  wind. 
Thus  we  get  "Poor  Lo." 

Lioad,  "he  has  a  load,"  he  is  drunk. 

lioafer  (Dutch  latifer),  a  lazy  vagabond;  an  idle  lounger. 

liOb,  a  till  or  money  drawer, 

liObb,  the  head. 

liObby  (Am.),  to  lobby  is  to  work  among  a  legislative  body 
to  influence  them  in  favor  of  or  in  opposition  to  proposed 
legislation.  Lobbyists  form  a  large  and  obnoxious  class 
and  have  much  to  do  with  the  corruption  of  politics  in  the 
National  and  State  government.  Women  as  well  as  men 
are  engaged  in  this  business. 

liOblolly,  a  sailor's  term  for  gruel. 

LiObloUy-boy  (Sea  term),  a  surgeon's  mate  or  assistant. 

Lobs  (Gip.),  words,  talk. 

liobscouse,  a  dish  of  potatoes,  meat  and  sea  biscuit  all  boiled 
together. 

liObsneaking',  stealing  from  tills  and  money  drawers. 

Lobster,  an  English  soldier  is  a  boiled  lobster  from  his  red 
coat.  A  policeman,  who  has  a  blue  uniform,  is  a  raw  lob- 
ster. It  does  not  please  a  London  "bobby"  to  ask  him, 
"Who  stole  the  lobster." 

Lobster-box,  military  barracks. 

Loco-foco,  a  name  given  in  1835  *o  ^  section  of  the  Demo- 
cratic party.  Loco-foco  matches,  then  recently  introduced, 
were  used  to  obtain  a  light  at  one  of  their  meetings  aad 
hence  the  name. 

Locust,  a  policeman's  club,  also  known  as  a  *'hickory"  from 
the  natture  of  the  wood. 


I70  LOD— LOO 

liOdg'e,  an  Indian  house,  tepee  or  wigwam. 

liOgrgerheads,  "to  come  to,"  to  come  to  blows;  to  quarrel. 

^oggj  or  liOgy,  stupid. 

liOgr-rolUng  (Am.),  in  the  legislature  means  a  system  of  co- 
operation by  which  one  member  will  vote  for  the  pet  meas- 
ure of  another  in  return  for  a  like  service  on  his  own  bill. 
The  name  comes  from  the  practice  of  lumbermen  from  dif- 
ferent camps  assisting  each  other  in  turn  to  roll  their  logs 
to  the  river. 

liOll,  to  lie  around  in  a  lazy  manner. 

Liolliper  (Eng.),  the  tongue. 

liOne  Star  State  (Am.),  Texas. 

Liongr,  in  Stock  Exchange  language  means  when  a  man  has 
bought  stock,  grain  or  other  goods  on  time  which  he  can 
call  for  at  any  time.  To  be  Short  is  to  sell  stock  which 
one  does  not  posses. 

liong  and  short  of  it,  the  whole  of  anything. 

liOngr  bow,  "to  draw  the,"  to  exaggerate;  to  tell  extravagant 
stories.     See  Pitching  the  hatchet. 

liOngr  chalk,  "not  by  a,"  not  by  a  good  deal. 

liong  green  (Am.),  counterfeit  bills  of  large  denominations. 

liOng-headed,  farseeing,  smart,  calculating. 

Jjong  home,  the  grave. 

liOng  odds,  such  odds  as  go  to  show  that  the  man  or  horse  or 
whatever  they  are  laid  against  has,  or  is  supposed  to  have 
little  chance  to  win. 

liOngtail,  a  banknote  for  a  large  amount. 

Liongtails,  English  pheasants. 

lioof  (Scotch),  the  hand. 

liook  out  or  liooker  out  (Am.),  an  assistant  to  the  dealer  at 
faro. 

lioon  (Am.),  a  foolish  fellow;  "stupid  as  a  loon." 


LOO— LUM  171 

lioony,  short  for  looney-tick  (lunatic),  silly,  stupid, 

lioose,  "on  the,"  on  the  spree. 

liOOt,  plunder.     To  loot  is  to  pillage. 

IJope,  to  leap.    "Loping  along." 

liop-sided,  uneven. 

Lord,  "drunk  as  a,"  very  drunk  indeed — the  antithesis  of 

"sober  as  a  judge,"  showing  the  difference  between  the  ar- 

tocracy  and  the  bench. 
liost  cause  (Am.),  that  of  the  Southern  Confederacy 
Lothario,  generally  used  with  the  prefix  "gay,"  a  deceiver; 

a  seducer  of  women.     From  a  character  in  an  old  play.  /  / 
Loud  (Eng.),  showy,  flashy,  over-dressed. 
Louuce  (Eng.),  an  abbreviation  of   allowance.     "He's  had 

his  lounce,"  he  has  had  enough  to  drink* 
liour  or  liowr  (Gip.),  money. 
liOut,  a  heavy,  awkward  fellow. 
Love,  nothing.     Five  points  to  none  at  any  game  would  be 

"five  to  love." 
Love-child  (Eng.),  an  illegitimate  child. 
liow-downer  (Am.),  a  native  of  North  Carolina. 
Low-water,  out  of  money. 
Lubber  (Sea  slang),  a  fool  or  awkward  person. 
Luck,  "down   on  your   luck,"  in  trouble  or  diflSculty,  un- 
happy. 
Lucky  (Eng.),  "to  cut  one's  lucky,"  to  go  away  quickly. 
liUg,  the  ear. 

liUg,  to  carry.     Probably  from  luggage,  baggage. 
liUm  (Scotch),  a  chimney. 
Lumber,  to  put  in  pawn.     Probably  from  the  Lombards,  the 

original  pawnbrokers. 
Lumbered,  pawned. 


i7a  LUM— LYN 

linmmox,  a  stupid  fellow. 

liUmp,  anything  large,  as  a  "lump  of  a  man," 

liumper,  a  dockyard  workman;  also  a  wharf -rat  or  dock- 
thief. 

Lump  it,  leave  it.    "If  you  don't  like  it  you  can  lump  it." 

I^uiupy,  intoxicated. 

IJunk-head,  a  stupid  man ;  a  fool. 

liunnon.  Cockney  for  London. 

Liurch  (Eng.),  the  players  who  make  the  double  point  at 
whist  are  said  to  have  "lurched"  their  opponents  At  crib- 
bage  a  man  is  "lurched"  or  "skunked"  if  he  fails  to  get 
around  the  corner,  that  is  to  peg  31  holes  before  his  oppon- 
ent gets  out. 

liurk,  a  dodge,  trick  or  swindle;  a  tale  of  feigned  poverty 
and  distress  made  up  for  begging  purposes. 

IJurker  (Eng.),  an  impostor  who  travels  about  with  false 
stories  of  sickness  and  distress. 

Lusb,  drink. 

liushlng-crib  or  Ken,  a  drinking-house. 

Lnshin^on,  a  drunkard. 

Jjushy,  intoxicated. 

Ijyncliing-bee  (Am.),  a  gathering  of  men  for  the  purpose 
of  lynching  a  criminal. 

Lynch  law,  the  execution  of  a  criminal  by  a  mob. 


M 


Mace  (Eng.),  to  obtain  money  by  threats;  to  "sponge"  or 

to  swindle. 
Maceman,  a  swindler. 
Mad  (Old  Eng.),  angry.     Used  in  the  same  ^ense  in  the 

United  States. 
Mad  as  a  March  hare,  crazy.      "Mad  as  thunder"  means 

the  same. 
Mad  as  a  wet  hen,  angry,  vexed. 

Mag  (Eng.),  a  halfpenny.  "Haven't  got  a  mag"  expresses 
utter  destitution. 

Maggotty,  fanciful.  "Got  a  maggot  in  his  brain"  or  "a  bee 
in  his  bonnet." 

Magpie,  in  target  shooting,  a  white  and  a  black  flag,  not  lo 
good  as  a  bull's  eye. 

Magsman,  a  street  swindler  or  "faker." 

Mahogany,  said  of  a  dinner  table;  "to  have  one's  leg's  under 
another  man's  mahogany,"  is  to  sit  at  his  table  as  a  guest. 

Mahound  (Obs.),  Mahomet,  the  Prophet  of  Islam. 

Mail  (Am.);  to  place  a  letter  in  the  postoffice.  An  English- 
man "posts"  his  letter. 

Main  (Old  Eng.),  very;  "main  glad,"  very  glad. 

Main  guy  (Am.),  the  chief  or  leader  of  any  organization. 

Make  it  hot,  to  make  things  uncomfortable  for  any  one;  to 
persecute  him. 

Make,  "on  the"  (Am.),  looking  out  for  what  one  can  get 

Make  tracks  (Am,),  to  get  away  in  a  hurry;  to  Skedad- 
dle {^.  V.) 

m 


174  MAK— MAR 

Make-up,  in  the  parlance  of  the  theatre,  applied  to  actors 

dressing  tbeir  faces  with  paint,  etc. 
Makings,  perquisites,  or  less  mildly,  stealings. 
Maltee,  a  native  of  Malta. 

Mami  (Gip.),  a  grandmother  or  old  woman,  doubtless  from 

mamma. 
Mammy  or  Maumer,  an  old  negro  woman. 
Man  Above  (Irish),  the  Almighty. 
Man  Friday,  a  useful  assistant,  from  the  name  of  the  savage 

who  acted  as  servant  to  Robinson  Crusoe. 

Man  of  straw  (Eng.),  a  person  without  resources  or  capital. 

Man  up  a  tree,  "the  way  it  looks  to  a,"  the  way  anything 
appears  to  one  who  possesses  special  advantages  for  ob- 
serving. 

Marbles  (Eng.),  money. 

March,  at  euchre,  to  win  all  the  tricks. 

Mare's  nest,  a  supposed  discovery  of  something  wonderful 
which  turns  out  to  be  nothing  at  all. 

Marine,  an  empty  bottle. 

Mark,  "a  soft  mark,"  one  easily  swindled. 

Mark,  "to  make  one's,"  to  achieve  success. 

Mark,  "to  toe  the,"  to  be  ready ;  "to  come  up  to  the  scratch." 

Marriage  lines  (Eng.),  a  marriage  certificate. 

MarroiY  (Old  Eng.), a  companion;  a  "mate"  or  fellow. 

Marrow-bones  (Old),  the  knees. 

Martingale,  in  the  language  of  the  gaming-table,  a  method 
of  playing  roulette  or  rouge  et  noir^  by  doubling  the  stake 
every  time  one  loses,  and  so  continuing  until  one  wins. 
Like  all  "systems"  for  breaking  the  bank  this  is  open  to 
the  objection  that  the  method  may  have  to  be  carried  to  an 
amount  beyond  the  limit  allowed  before  the  player  wins. 


MAS— MEA  175 

In  addition  to  this  there  is  the  chance  that  the  game  may 
not  be  fair,  and  the  bank's  percentage  of  **splits"  or  "zeros" 
is  to  be  considered. 

Mascot  (Am.),  anything  lucky;  a  sort  of  Fetich  (^.  v,) 

Mash  (Am.),  a  school-girl's  term  for  a  street  flirtation. 

Masheen,  "to  run  with  the"  (Am.),  to  serve  with  the  vol- 
unteer fire  department. 

Masher  (Am.),  a  well-dressed  loafer  who  spends  his  time 
in  ogling  women  on  the  street  and  who  travels  on  his 
shape. 

Master  of  the  rolls  (Eng.),  a  baker. 

Mate  (Eng.),  a  companion  or  "pal." 

Mate,  to  match  or  pair. 

Mauley  orMawley  (P.  R.),  the  fist:  also  the  signature 

Maund  (Gip.),  to  beg. 

Maunder  (Old),  a  beggar. 

Maunder  (Scotch),  to  mutter. 

Maundering,  wandering,  spoken  of  traveling  beggars  as 
well  as  those  who  maunder  or  meander  in  their  speech. 

Maungr  (Gip.),  in  English  Maund,  to  beg. 

Maverick  (Am.),  an  unmarked  yearling  steer. 

Maw,  the  mouth. 

Mawkin  (Scotch,  a  cat. 

Max  (Eng.),  gin.     Bryon  uses  the  word  in  Don  yuan. 

Mealy-mouthed  (Eng.),  soft-spoken,  plausible. 

Mean  (Am.),  which  in  England  is  used  for  stingy  or  close, 
is  applied  in  this  country  in  an  entirely  different  sense. 
When  one  young  girl  says  to  another  "Now,  Sadie,  you're 
real  mean,"  she  desires  to  express,  not  that  Sadie  is  close 
in  money  matters,  but  that  she  is  bad-tempered  or  has  done 
something  to  the  detriment  of  her  friend.  The  word  is 
abominably  misused. 


176  ME  A— MIL 

Mean  white  (Am.),  a  low  class  white  person  in  the  South. 

Measly,  mean,  miserable-looking. 

Medical  Greek  (Eng.),  a  wretched  apology  for  slang  used 
by  London  medical  students,  and  consisting  of  the  trans- 
position of  the  initials  of  words.  In  this  jargon  "poking  a 
smipe"  means  smoking  a  pipe,  and  a  "stint  of  pout"  is  a  pint 
of  stout. 

Medicine  man  (Am.),  an  Indian  doctor  or  priest. 

Mending  fences  (Am.),  the  politician,  who,  having  been 
elected  to  Congress  or  other  office  requiring  his  residence 
away  from  home  returns  occasionally  to  heal  up  differences 
which  may  have  arisen  among  his  supporters  and  to  pre- 
pare for  a  renomination.     Then  he  is  "mending  his  fences." 

Mesa  (Sp.),  a  table  land. 

Mess  "to  lose  the  number  of  one's"  (Sea  term),  to  die. 

Mess,  a  quantity  of  anything,  as  a  "mess  of  milk." 

Michingr  (Old  Eng.),  stealing  or  playing  truant. 

Micks,  Irishmen. 

Midden  (Old  Eng.),  a  dung  heap. 

Middle-weight  (P.  R.),  as  applied  to  pugilists,  one  who 
fights  at  145  to  155  pounds. 

Middy  (Sea),  abbreviation  of  midshipman. 

Mighty,  used  improperly  as  an  adjective  or  adverb  in  much 
the  same  way  as  Awfully  (^.  v.) 

Mike,  generic  term  for  an  Irish  laborer. 

Mild,  "draw  it  mild,"  do  not  exaggerate;  go  easy. 

Milk,  in  the  language  of  the  betting  ring,  to  enter  a  horse 
for  a  race  and  make  the  public  believe  he  is  likely  to  win, 
bet  against  him  on  the  quiet,  and  then  either  "scratch"  him 
or  take  care  that  if  he  runs  he  does  not  win.  Such  is  the 
process  of  "milking." 

Milk  down  or  Give  down,  to  "part;**  to  give  up  money. 


MIL— MIX  177 

Milk  in  the  ooa-nut  (Am.),  when  an  explanation  of  some- 
thing is  given  it  is  said  "That  explains  the  milk  in  the  co- 
coa-nut" and  it  is  sometimes  added  "But  not  the  shaggy 
bark  on  the  outside." 
Milk-sliake  (Am.),  a  "dude"  or  effeminate  youth,  one  whose 
ideas  of  wild  dissipation  are  represented  by  the  mild  and 
inoffensive  drink  thus  named. 
Milksop,  an  effeminate  youth  or  man. 

Mill  (P.  R.),  a  prize  fight.  Hood  says  in  his  Lay  of  Miss 
Killmanskeg  that: 

"Her  husband  treated  her  ill 
Because  she  refused  to  go  down  to  a  mill, 
She  didn't  know  where,  but  remembered  still 
That  the  miller's  name  was  Mendoza." 
Mendoza  was  the  champion  pugilist. 

Mill,  the  treadmill. 

Mill,  "to  go  through  the,"  to  go  through  the  Bankruptcy 
Court  or  to  pass  through  any  kind  of  trouble. 

Miller,  "to  drown  the,"  to  put  too  much  water  into  the  flour 
when  making  bread. 

Mind  (Scotch),  to  remember.  "I  mind  me  of  the  time." 
Also  to  remind,  to  notice. 

Minute-men,  militia  men  or  country  troops  whose  engage- 
ment was  that  they  should  be  ready  to  march  at  a  minute*s 
notice.  Some  of  them  marched  to  Lexington,  Mass.,  in 
1775,  much  to  the  discomfiture  of  George  the  Third's  reg- 
ular troops. 

Mish  (Gip.),  a  shirt  or  chemise.  From  the  French  chemise^ 
Italian  Camicia. 

Mitten,  "to  get  the"  (Am.),  to  be  rejected  by  one's  sweet- 
heart. 

Mittens  (P.  R.),  boxing  gloves. 

Miv,  a  marble. 

Mixed,  uncertain,  confused. 


178  MIZ— MON 

Mizzle  (Eng.),  to  run  away. 

Mizzler,  one  who  runs  away. 

Mizzling^,  drizzling  rain. 

Mob  (Old  Eng.),  a  crowd. 

Mob,  to  hustle  for  the  purpose  of  robbery. 

Mob,  "our  mob,"  one's  own  party  or  gang. 

Mobsman,  a  pickpocket  who  operates  in  a  crowd. 

Moccasin,  an  Indian  shoe  made  of  soft  leather,  and  generally 
ornamented  with  beads. 

Mock  auction,  a  pretended  sale  gotten  up  by  swindlers  to 
entrap  the  unwary,  the  supposed  bidders  being  really  "cap- 
pers." 

Modest  quencher,  Dick  Swiveller's  equivalent  for  a  drink. 

Moisten  your  chaflfer,  take  a  drink. 

Moisten  your  clay,  same  as  the  preceding. 

Mokado  (Gip.),  unclean,  somewhat  of  a  similar  meaning  to 
Tabu  (^.  v.) 

Moke,  in  England  a  donkey ;    in  the  United  States  a  negro. 

Molecatcher  (Eng.),  a  midwife. 

Moll,  a  girl,  usually  applied  to  one  of  low  character. 

Moiled,  followed  or  accompanied  by  a  woman. 

Mollisher,  a  low-class  woman;  one  living  in  concubinage. 

Moll-tooler,  a  female  pickpocket. 

Molly-coddle,  an  effeminate  man. 

MoUygrubs  or  MuUygrubs,  the  stomach-ache. 

Molrowing,  out  on  a  spree. 

Mommick  or  Mommock,  to  handle  awkwardly ;  to  disar. 
range. 

Mondayish,  disinclined  for  work  after  a  Sunday  holiday. 

Monkey  (Eng."^,  five  hundred  pounds. 


MON— MOP  179 

Monkey,  spirit  or  ill-temper.  A  man  has  his  "monkey  up" 
when  he  is  -'mad"  or  angry. 

Monkey  and  parrot  time,  a  lady  left  her  favorite  bird  in 
company  with  a  monkey  and  during  her  absence  the  two 
animals  had  a  fight.  When  she  returned  the  monkey  was 
wiping  his  scratched  face  and  the  almost  featherless  parrot 
called  out,  "We've  been  having  a  hell  of  a  time."  A  gen- 
eral row  or  free  fight  is  a  "monkey  and  parrot  time." 

Monkey  board  (Eng.),  the  step  behind  an  omnibus  on 
which  the  conductor  stands. 

Monkey,  "long  tailed,"  a  mortgage. 

Monkey's  allowance,  blows  instead  of  alms;  more  kicks 
than  half-pence. 

Monkey  shines,  tricks,  larking ;  like  boys  at  play. 

Monkey  with,  to  interfere  with  anything, 

Monniker,  a  signature. 

Month  of  Sundays,  an  indefinite  period;  along  time. 

Mooch,  to  play  the  truant.     Shakespeare  has  Micher  (^.  v.) 

Mooch,  to  sponge,  to  loaf  about.  On  thk  mooch,  on  the 
look-out  for  odd  jobs. 

Moon,  a  month.     See  Blue  moon,  ante. 

Moon-calf,  a  stupid,  idiotic  person.  Applied  to  Caliban. 
See  TAe  Tern f  est  ii^  2:  iii^  2. 

Mooney,  silly,  intoxicated. 

Mooning:  about,  loitering,  wandering  about  in  a  purposeless 
manner. 

Moonlig^ht  workers,  smugglers. 

Moonraker  (Eng.),  the  natives  of  Wiltshire  England,  silly 
people  who  raked  the  pond  to  get  the  moon  out. 

Moonshine  (Am.),  illicit  whisky. 

Moonshine,  nonsense,  a  fairy  tale,  deception,  humbug. 

Mop,  an  habitual  drunkard. 


i8o  MOP— MOT 

Mop,  an  English  country  fair  for  the  hiring  of  servants. 

Mop-board,  the  washboard  which  extends  around  the  floor 
of  rooms.     In  England  it  is  called  the  "baseboard." 

Mops  and  brooms,  "in  a  state  of,"  intoxicated. 

Mopusses,  money. 

Moral  (certainty  implied),  a  forthcoming  result  suchfas  a  race 

which  appears  to  be  certain.     It  does  not  always  do  to  bet  on 

a  "moral." 
More-ish,  where  there  is  not  quite  enough  of  anything  to  eat 

or  drink  it  is  said  to  taste  "more-ish." 

More  power  to  your  elbow  (Irish),  an  expression  of  good- 
will. 

More  tban  seven,  said  of  a  precocious  child  or  girl,  or  of  the 
age  of  a  spinster. 

Morgan,  "a  good  enough."  A  man  named  Morgan  was  al- 
leged to  have  been  abducted  by  Freemasons  in  1826  and 
drowned  at  Niagara.  A  body  which  was  identified  as  that 
of  Morgan  was  found  in  the  river  and  the  Anti- Masonic 
party  made  a  political  affair  of  it.  Thurlow  Weed,  one  of 
the  political  leaders  of  that  party,  on  being  told  that  the 
body  was  not  that  of  the  missing  man  replied,  "It's  a  good 
enough  Morgan  until  after  election." 

Mort,  many,  as  a  *'mort  of  people." 
Mort  (Gip.),  a  woman.     See  Mott. 
Mortal  (Eng.),  excessively. 
Mortar  board,  a  college  cap. 

Mosey  (Am.),  a  corruption  of  the  Spanish  vamose^  to  go 

away. 
Moss-backs  (Am.),  old-time  politicians;   people  behind  the 

age. 
Mot  (Gip.),  a  girl  of  indifferent  character. 


MOT— MUD  i8i 

Mot-cart  (Eng.),  a  brougham  used  by  a  woman  of  the  town* 

Otherwise  known  as  a  Loose-box. 
Mouch,  to  sneak  about. 
Mouchey  (Eng.),  a  Jew. 
Mought  (Am.),  is  often  used  for  might.    "What  mought 

you  call  it." 
Mount  (Eng.),  a  saddle  horse. 
Mountain  dew,  Scotch  whisky.    Otherwise  known  as  "Dew 

off  Ben  Nevis." 
Mountain-pecker,  a  sheep. 
Mourners,  in  religious  parlance,  persons  under  conviction  of 

sin. 
Mourning,  two  black  eyes;    one  eye  in  that  condition  is 

styled  half-mourning. 
Mouse  (P.  R.),  a  black  eye. 

Mouth,  "too  much,"  free  of  speech,  having  too  much  to  say. 
Mouthpiece  (Eng.),  thieves  name  for  a  lawyer  or  counsel. 
Mouthy,  talkative,  argumentative. 
Move  (Eng.),  a  dodge,  a  trick.    "Up  to  every  move  on  the 

board."     Probably  derived   from  the  game  of  chess  or 

checkers. 
Mrs.  Grundy,  the  representative  of  the  censorious  World, 

"What  will  Mrs.  Grundy  say  ?"  is  from  the  old  comedy  of 

Speed  the  Plough. 
Much  of  a  muchness,  alike;  very  much  the  same  thing. 
Muck  (Eng.),  to  beat,  to  excel. 
Mucked  out  (Eng.),  beaten. 
Mucker,  "to  go  a,"  to  plunge,  as  in  betting  heavily ;  to  go  to 

grief. 
Muckinger  (Old  Eng.),  a  pocket  handkerchief. 
Mud  crusher,  a  word  of  contempt  applied  by  cavalry  to  in- 
fantry soldiers. 


i82  MUD— MUG 

Mud  lark,  a  boy  or  man  who  picks  up  a  living  on  river 
banks  and  wharves.  Sometimes  known  as  a  Dock  rat  or 
Whakf  rat. 

Mudsill  (Am.),  the  threshold.  Applied  figuratively  to  the 
laboring  classes,  and  formerly  much  used  by  Southern  peo- 
ple to  express  their  contempt  for  Northerners  who  were 
such  "base  mechanics"  as  to  work  for  a  living.  The  word 
is  seldom  used  now-a-days  in  this  connection. 

Mud  student  (Eng.),  a  farm  pupil  at  an  agricultural  college. 

Muff,  a  stupid  or  weak-minded  person ;  a  duffer.  A  muff  is 
"a  thing  which  holds  a  lady's  hand  without  squeezing  it." 

Muffin-worry,  an  old  lady's  tea  party. 

Mufti,  the  civilian  dress  of  a  naval  or  military  officer  off  duty. 
In  India  applied  to  the  regimental  chaplain  or  to  any  clergy- 
man or  priest. 

Mug  (Old  Eng.),  the  mouth  or  face.  "An  ugly  mug"  is  an 
ill-favored  countenance. 

Mug,  to  get  drunk. 

Mugging  (Eng.),  a  thrashing. 

Muggy,  drunk. 

Muggy  (Old  Eng.),  moist,  as  muggy  weather. 

Mug-up,  to  paint  or  prepare  the  face  with  cosmetics  for  ap- 
pearance on  the  stage. 

Mugwump  (Am.),  was  first  applied  by  a  New  York  news- 
paper in  1884  to  the  members  of  the  Republican  party  who 
preferred  Cleveland  to  Blaine.  It  is  now  used  generally 
to  characterize  voters  who  sink  party  politics  and  vote  for 
whom  they  consider  the  most  suitable  candidate.  The 
word,  originally  tnugquomp^  is  from  the  Algonquin  Indian 
dialect  and  means  "Big  Chief"  or  "Leader."  It  may  be 
found  in  John  Eliot's  Indian  Bible.  Mr.  A.  F.  Keenan, 
editor  of  the  Indianapolis  Sentinel^  picked  up  the  word  in 
New  England  and  used  it  as  early  as  1872  as  a  large-type 


MUL— MUT  183 

heading  for  some  article  on  a  "big  wig"  in  politics.  After 
this  the  word  seems  to  have  Iain  perdu  until  resuscitated  in 
the  New  York  Sun  in  March,  1884,  when  it  applied  it  to  a 
Mr.  Bradley,  who  was  interested  in  some  local  issue  in 
Bobb*s  Ferry,  heading  its  article  "Mugwump  D.  O.  Brad- 
ley." 

Mulatto  (Sp.  niulaioy  a  mule) ;  the  offspring  of  a  white  per- 
son and  a  negro. 

Mule-whacker  (Am.),  a  teamster  in  charge  of  mules. 

Muley  or  Mooley  (Am.),  a  common  name  for  a  cow. 

Mull  (Scotch),  a  snuff  box. 

Mull,  "to  make  a  mull"  of  anything  is  to  spoil  it. 

Mum,  "to  keep"  (Old  Eng.),  to  hold  one's  peace.  "Mum's 
the  word"  is  a  signal  for  silence. 

Mum-budget  (Old  Eng.),  a  game  at  which  each  person  had 
a  "nay-word"  or  countersign.  See  Merry  Wives  of 
Windsor 

Mumutner  (Old  Eng.),  an  actor. 

Mump,  to  beg. 

Mumper  (Eng.),  a  beggar. 

Mumpish,  miserable;  out  of  sorts. 

Mumps,  the  miserables. 

Mundungrus,  coarse  tobacco, 

Mungarly,  bread,  food. 

Murk  (Old),  dark. 

Murphy,  a  potato. 

Muslin,  "bit  of,"  a  girl  or  young  woman. 

Muss,  disorder,  generally  counted  an  Americanism,  is  as  old 
as  Shakespeare,  who  uses  the  word  in  Anthony  and  Cleo- 
patra. 

Mustang,  the  wild  horse  of  the  pridries. 

Mutton,  a  contemptuous  term  for  a  woman.     Ben  Jonson 


IJS4  MUX— MYU 

ta^  Shakespeare  use  the  term  "a  laced  mutton"  for  a 

\{ranton. 
Mutton-head,  a  stupid  fellow. 
Muzzle,  the  mouth. 
Muzzier,  a  drink. 
Muzzy,  intoxicated. 
My  Uncle,  the  pawnbroker.     The  French  say  ma  ianie^  my 

aimt,^ 


N 


Nab,  to  catch,  to  seize. 

Nabbed,  caught,  apprehended. 

Kabob,  an  Indian  prince;  a  great  man. 

Nabs  or  Nibs,  a  person;  "his  nabs." 

Nab  the  rust  (Eng.),to  take  offence. 

Nagr  (Eng.),  to  annoy  by  scolding.  "Nagging"  is  persistent, 
passionless  scolding. 

Nag  (Eng.),  a  horse. 

Nail,  to  arrest. 

Nail,  to  steal  or  capture. 

Nail,  "dead  as  a  door  nail."  Shakespeare  uses  the  expres- 
sion in  King  Henry  /K,  while  Dickens  expressed  his  ina- 
bility to  figure  out  why  a  door-nail  is  deader  than  any  other 
piece  of  ironmongery. 

Nailed,  taken  up,  arrested. 

Nail  in  one's  cofSii,  a  drink. 

Nail,  "on  the,"  money  down. 

Namby-pamby,  effeminate,  over-nice. 
f  Name  your  poison,  call  for  your  drink, 

Nantee  (iitigua-Franca),  shut  up  or  hold  your  tongue. 
"Nantee  Palaver,"  say  nothing,  from  the  Italian  nientCy 
nothing. 

Nap  (Gip.),  to  catch,  take  or  steal.    See  Nab. 

Nap,  a  short  sleep  or  doze. 

Nark  (Thieves*  slang),  an  informer. 

Narrow,  mean,  sordid. 

i8S 


i86  NAR— NEW 

Nary,  a  corruption  of  "ne'er  a,"  as  "nary  one." 

Nasty,  ill-tempered. 

Kation  (Old  Eng.),  is  used  in  New  England  in  the  sense  of 

many,  as  a  "nation  lot." 
Natty,  (Old),  neat,  tidy. 

Natural,  an  idiot;  a  simpleton;  a  natural-born  fool. 
Navvy  (Eng.),  a  laborer  on  canal  and  railway  works.     Short 

for  navigator,  one  employed  in  building  navigable  canals. 
N,  C,  "nujEE  ced,"  phonetic  equivalent  for  "enough  said." 
Near,  stingy,  mean ;  close  in  money  matters. 
Neat  (Eng.),  undiluted  spirits.     In  this  country  "straight"  is 

used. 
Neck  and  crop,  entirely,  completely,  as  a  man  is  thrown  out 

of  doors. 
Neck  and  neck,  where  two  horses  run  so  close  together  that 

the  judges  are  unable  to  decide  between  them. 
Neck  of  woods,  a  settlement  or  section  of  backwoods. 
Neck  or  nothing,  desperate. 
Necktie  party,  a  lynching. 
Ned,  an  English  guinea. 
Ned,  "to  raise,"  to  create  a  fuss  or  disturbance. 
Neddy  (Eng.),  a  donkey.     On  special  occasions  he  is  ad- 
dressed as  "Edward."     See  Our  Mutual  Friend. 
Needful,  cash,  money. 
Needled  (Eng.),  annoyed.    "He  gave  me  the  needle,"  that 

is,  vexea  or  annoyed  me. 
Neef  (Old  Eng.),  the  hand. 
Nerve  (Am.),  gall,  cheek,  self-confidence. 
New  chum  (Australian),  a  newcomer  to  the  country. 
Newgate  knockers  (Eng.),  flat  curls  extending  from  the 

temple  back  toward  the  ears,  much  affected  by  the  London 


NEW— NIN  187 

costermongers  and  others  of  the  lower  class.  See  Aggra- 
VATORS,  ante. 

Ne^inuarket,  tossing  odd  or  even  or  "heads  or  tails"  when 
the  "best  two  out  of  three"  wins.  When  the  first  toss  de- 
cides the  game  is  known  as  *'sudden  death." 

Nibble,  to  take  or  steal. 

Nibs,  "his  nibs,"  any  person  who  may  be  referred  to,  such 
as  "I  told  His  Nibs"  or  "Get  on  to  His  Nibs."  It  is  neither 
a  title  of  honor  nor  the  reverse. 

Nick,  "Old  Nick,"  the  devil.  Hotten  says  from  the  Scan- 
dinavian  knickar,  the  destroying  principle.  Butler  says  in 
Hudibras  : 

"Nick  Macheivel  had  ne'er  a  trick. 
Though  he  gave  name  to  our  Old  Nick." 

Probably  the  one  explanation  is  as  nearly  correct  as  the 

other. 
Nick,  to  hit  the  mark ;  to  win  one's  point.     Also  to  steal. 
Nigger,  to  burn  in  two,  as  a  log  is  burned. 
Nigger,  a  negro. 
Niggling,  trifling  or  idling. 
Nigh,  near,  close,  miserly. 

Night  cap,  a  drink  taken  the  last  thing  at  night.' 
Night  hawk,  a  prostitute,  thief  or  other  pest  of  the  streets. 

Night  hawk,  a  term  sometimes  applied  to  a  night  police  re> 
porter. 

Night  owl,  a  term  applied  indifferently  to  night- workers  of 
the  predatory  character  and  to  the  morning  newspaper  men 
and  others  who  are  compelled  to  labor  at  night. 

Nim  (Old  Eng.),  to  take,  to  steal.  Shakespeare  doubtless 
had  this  in  mind  when  he  christened  Nym,  the  associate  of 
Bardolph  and  ancient  Pistol. 

Nincompoop  (Eng.),  a  stupid  fellow,  a  henpecked  husband. 


i88  NIN— NOB 

Nine  holes  (Eng.),  in  the  game  of  whist  when  nine  points 
have  been  scored  honors  do  not  count.  To  be  in  the  nine- 
hole  is  therefore  reckoned  as  equivalent  to  a  handicap. 

Kinepence,  "nice  as"  (Eng.),  all  right. 

Nines,  "dressed  up  to  the,"  showy,  stylish,  "dressed  to  kill." 

Ninny  or  Ninnyhammer,  a  stupid  person. 

Ninth  part  of  a  man,  a  tailor. 

Nip,  to  steal.     See  Nap  and  Nab,  ante, 

Nip,  to  arrest;  to  capture. 

Nip  or  Nipper,  a  drink  of  spirits. 

Nip  and  tuck,  very  close;  almost  equal 

Nipcheese,  a  ship's  purser. 

Nipper,  a  smart  boy  or  lad. 

Nippers,  the  fingers. 

Nipping  (Am.),  mincing. 

Nippingr,  cold.    "It  is  a  nipping  and  an  eager  air." — Hamlet. 

Nix  (German  nichts)^  nothing. 

Nixey,  no. 

Nix  my  dolly,  a  meaningless  phrase  from  a  slang  song  in 
one  of  Ainsworth's  novels.  It  was  adopted  by  the  Lon- 
don street  boys  and  was  used  on  all  occasions. 

No  account,  of  no  value,  worthless. 

Noh  (from  knob),  the  head. 

Nob,  a  swell. 

Nobbing  chete  or  Nubbing  chete  (Old  Cant),  the  gallov/s. 

Nobble,  to  cheat;  to  over-reach. 

Nobble,  "to  nobble"  a  horse  is  to  get  at  him  and  lame  or  poi- 
son him. 

Nobbier,  a  stiff  drink. 

Nobbier  (Eng.),  a  "capper"  for  any  swindling  game.  A 
"bonnet^*  or  "bearer-up." 


NOB— NOS  189 

Nobby,  stylish. 

Kob,  "one  for  his,"  when  the  knave  of  trumps  is  held  in 
hand  or  "crib,"  at  the  game  of  cribbage  the  holder  scores 
"one  for  his  nob."  If  the  knave  is  the  turn-up  card  the 
score  is  "two  for  his  heels." 

No  «rror,  certainly.  "Don't  you  make  no  error"  is  the  un- 
grammatical  method  of  asserting  that  what  has  been  said  is 
a  fact. 

No  flies,  "there's  no  flies  on  him;"  he  is  all  right. 

Nog^n,  a  small  measure. 

No  mistake,  certainly,  positively.  Used  much  in  the  same 
manner  as  No  brror,  ante. 

Nonce,  "for  the  nonce,"  for  once. 

None  of  my  funeral  (Am.),  no  business  of  the  person  using 
the  expression.  A  man  is  not  supposed  to  take  much  in- 
terest in  the  funeral  of  a  stranger. 

No  odds,  no  matter;  of  no  consequence. 

Noodle,  a  stupid  person  or  fool. 

Nooningr  (Am.),  an  interval  for  rest  and  refreshment  at  mid- 
day, as  in  the  harvest  field. 

Nortb,  cunning,  shrewd.  It  is  said  of  Yorkshiremen  and 
Scotchmen,  who  are  being  credited  with  being  sharp  and 
keen  at  a  bargain,  that  they  are  "too  far  north"  to  deal 
with. 

Norther  (Am.),  an  unpleasant  wind  which  visits  Texas  and 
the  Gulf  of  Mexico;  a  modification  of  the  blizzard  of 
Dakota. 

Nose,  an  informer  or  spy. 

Nose,  "on  the,"  giving  information  to  the  police. 

Nose  oat  of  joint,  supplanted,  superseded;  like  the  old  baby 
is  when  the  new  one  comes. 

Nose,  "to  cut  off  one's  nose  to  spite  one's  face**  is  tp  4p  ^ome- 


190  NOS— NUM 

thing  injudicious,  harmful  or  expensive  to  oneself  In  order 

to  inflict  a  minor  injury  on  another  or  to  obtain  revenge 

from  him. 
Nose,  "to  pay  through  the,"  to  pay  an  extravagant  price. 
Nose  to  the  grindstone,  to  be  compelled  to  work  constantly 

in  order  to  make  a  bare  living. 
Note,  a  joke  or  saying.    *'That's  a  good  note." 
Note-shaver,  a  bill  discounter;  a  usurer. 
Not  for  Joe,  a  catch  phrase  much  in  use  a  few  years  ago  and 

taken  from  an  alleged  comic  song. 
Nothing  to  nobody,  nobody's  business. 
Not  in  it,  said  of  a  person  not  likely  to  succeed,  as  "Jones  is 

not  in  the  race." 
Notion,  a  whim  or  fancy.     To  take  a  notion  to  a  person  is  to 

take  a  liking  to  him ;  to  "cotton"  to  him. 
Notional,  whimsical,  fanciful. 
Notions  (Am.),  such  small  things  as  buttons,  needles,  pins, 

threads,  etc.,  often  carried  by  peddlers. 
No  two  ways  about  it  (Am.),  certain,  positive. 
Nous,  comprehension,    perception,    quickness.      From  the 

Greek.     Byron  uses  it  in  Don  yuan. 

Nowhere,  in  racing  parlance  where  a  horse  fails  to  pass  the 
distance  post  he  is  said  to  be  nowhere.  The  great  horse 
Eclipse  once  ran  in  an  English  race  and  his  trainer  bet  that 
he  could  place  every  horse  in  the  race.  This  he  did  by 
placing  "Eclipse  first  and  the  rest  nowhere,"  and  in  the  re- 
sult he  proved  to  be  correct,  no  one  of  the  competitors,  save 
Eclipse,  succeeding  in  passing  the  distance  post. 

Nowt  (Scotch),  cows  and  oxen. 

Number  of  his  mess,  "to  lose  the,"  to  die.  Said  of  soldiers 
and  sailors. 

Numbskull  (Eng.),  a  stupid  person;  a  dullard. 


NUR— MYM  19X 

Nnrse  (Eng.),  to  run  one  omnibus  so  close  to  another  that 
people  cannot  conveniently  get  in  the  first  vehicle. 

Nut,  the  head.  Sometimes  Cocoanut  (^.  v,)  *'Off  one's 
nut"  means  out  of  one's  head ;   not  sane. 

Kathook  (Old  Eng.),  an  epithet  aplied  to  a  beadle  or  con- 
stable by  Doll  Tearsheet,  II  King  Henry  IVy  act  t>,  sc.  4, 
Probably  because  the  officer  was  thin  in  person,  like  a 
hooked  stick  used  for  pulling  down  nuts  from  hedges. 

Nutmeg  State  (Am.),  Connecticut. 

Nuts,  "to  be  nuts"  or  "dead  nuts"  on  any  man,  person  or 
thing,  is  to  be  pleased  with  or  fond  of  the  same. 

Nux,  any  object  in  view.     "Stoll  the  nux,"  look  out. 

Nymph  of  the  pave,  a  woman  of  the  town. 


o 


Oaf,  a  stupid,  ungainly  fellow;  a  lout. 

Oak  (Eng.),  the  outer  door  of  college  rooms  or  offices.  To 
"sport  the  oak"  is  to  lock  the  door. 

Oak  barrens  or  Oak  openingrs  (Am.),  clusters  of  scrub-oak 
timber  on  the  prairie. 

Oar,  "to  put  in  an  oar,"  to  interfere  in  another  person's  busi- 
ness. 

Oats,  "to  feel  one's,"  to  feel  good  or  "cocky,"  as  a  horse  does 
after  a  good  feed. 

Obfuscated,  intoxicated. 

Obstropolous,  a  vulgarian  equivalent  for  obstroperous. 

Ochre  (Eng.),  money,  generally  gold,  from  the  yellow  color. 

O'clock,  "to  know  what's  o'clock,"  to  be  wide-awake,  sharp, 
experienced.     "Like  one  o'clock,"  brisk,  sharp. 

Odd  fish,  a  peculiar  or  eccentric  person. 

Odd  man  out  (Eng.),  a  gambling  game  played  by  three  per- 
sons where  each  tosses  up  a  coin  and  if  two  come  down 
"head"  and  one  "tail"  or  vice  versa  then  the  odd  man  stands 
out  of  the  game.     See  Tommy  Dodd,  supra. 

Odd  or  even,  a  method  of  gambling  by  calling  out  the  num- 
ber of  fingers  held  up  or  of  coins  held  in  the  hand,  whether 
they  be  "odd  or  even." 

Odds,  the  proportions  or  differences  of  a  bet,  thus  the  odds 
on  a  sporting  event  may  be,  say,  ten  to  one  against  a  possi- 
ble winner.  "What's  the  odds?"  what  is  the  difference. 
"It's  no  odds,"  it  is  of  no  consequence. 

Odd  Stick,  same  as  Odd  pish,  ante, 

19» 


ODR— OLD 


»93 


Odrotit  (Obs.),  an  old-fashioned  euphemism  for  an  oath, 

probably  from  "God  rot  it." 
Off  and  on,  vacillating,  uncertain,  unsteady. 
Off  color,  shady  as  to  character;  said  of  diamonds  or  women. 
Off  Ms  chump,  foolish,  insane,  o£E  his  head  or  "his  base." 
Off  Ills  feed,  said  of  one  who  is  sick  and  has  no  appetite. 

Originally  stable  slang. 
Office,  information. 
Office,  "to  give  the,"  to  furnish  information;   to  peach,  split 

or  inform. 
Offish,  distant;  not  familiar. 
Off  the  handle,  "to  fly,"  to  go  into  a  passion. 
Off  the  hooks,  dead. 
Off  the  horn,  said  of  very  tough  steak,  supposed  to  be  cut 

off  the  horn  or  behind  the  ear  of  the  ox.  ^^u^** 

Ogles  (Eng.),  the  eyes.  ^^,j  J^   '^ 

Ointment  (Eng.),  money,  especially  when  given  as  a  bribe,    ft<'     ^^^ 
O.K.  (Am.),  an  alleged  condensation  of   "Orl  Korrect"  a\  Ni*^ '',(j'\^^^ 

misspelling  of  all  correct.     To  "O.  K."  an  account  is  to  in-/   A^^    ^  v      h 

itial  it  in  evidence  of  its  correctness,  and  as  the  two  lettersT  ,*••    t,V- 

are  easily  written  the  practice  has  become  common  in  busi-  J     ^'^\j^ 

ness  circles.  ^  h,^**  *^ j*^'^*  ♦ 

Old  boots,  "like  old  boots,"  like  anything  or  nothing;    a      l^"'^!^ 

stupid  saying  with  little  or  no  meaning  or  excuse  for  its  ^*P 

use. 
Old  Country*  a  term  generally   applied   by   Americans   to 

Great  Britain,  or  to  some  division  of  that  kingdom.     It  is 

not  used  in  speaking  of  France,  Germany  or  any  part  of 

the  continent  of  Europe. 
Old  dog,  a  knowing  person. 
Old  Fogy  (Eng.),  one  who  is  behind  the  times. 
Old  Gentleman,  His  Satanic  Majesty. 


194  OLD— ON 

Old  Gooseberry  or  Old  Harry  or  Old  Scratch,  all  syno- 
nyms for  the  Devil.     See  Gooseberry,  ante. 

Old  horse  (Sea  term),  salt  junk  or  beef. 

Old  hoss,  applied  as  a  term  of  friendship  in  the  West.  See 
Hoss,  ante. 

Old  lady  of  Threadneedle  Street,  the  Bank  of  England. 

Old  man,  the  American  equivalent  for  the  English  "gov- 
ernor" as  applied  to  one's  father.  Also  applied  to  the  cap- 
tain of  a  merchant  vessel. 

Old  Nick,  the  Devil. 

OldProbs  (Am.),  the  weather  clerk;  the  chief  of  the  Sig- 
nal Service. 

Old  Salt,  a  sailor. 

Old  Scratch,  the  Devil. 

Old  sledge,  a  modification  of  the  game  of  seven-up  or  all- 
fours. 

Old  soldier,  "to  come  the,"  to  play  tricks  on  one. 

Old  soldiers,  stubs  of  cigars  or  empty  bottles. 

Old  Tom,  gin. 

Oliver  (Old  Eng.),  the  moon. 

Omee  (Gip.),  the  landlord  or  master  of  the  house. 

Omnibus  bill,  a  measure  of  legislation  embracing  a  number 
of  subjects. 

One-er,  a  Cockneyism  for  a  person  distinguished  for  some- 
thing good  or  bad  as  the  case  may  be.  The  poor  Mar- 
chioness in  Oliver  Twist  characterized  Miss  Sally  Brass  as 
a  "one-er"  or  "wunner." 

One-horse  (Am).,  second  rate,  cheap  or  of  no  account. 

One  in  ten  (Eng.),  an  Episcopalian  clergyman, from  his  be- 
ing entitled  to  the  tithes. 

One  o'clock,  "like,"  lively,  quick. 

On  has  many  slang  meanings.     "To  be  on"  is  to  be  drunk  or 


ONO— ORN  195 

getting  that  way ;  "to  get  on"  to  a  bet  is  to  accept  or  a  man 
may  be  "put  on"  to  a  "good  thing."  "Trying  it  on"  is  at- 
tempting to  cheat  or  defraud.  To  "be  on  to"  a  thing  is  to 
understand  it.  "Catch  on"  means  to  appreciate  a  point;  to 
be  fly  to  the  racket;  to  tumble. 

On  one's  ear  (Am.),  angry,  mad. 

On  the  batter  (Eng.),  on  the  tow:;. 

On  the  fence  (Am.),  said  of  poUticians  who  take  neither  side, 
but  wait  to  see  which  way  the  "cat  is  going  to  jump,"  or 
who  try  to  "carry  water  on  both  shoulders." 

On  the  fly,  getting  one's  living  by  thieving,  or  any  disrepu- 
table or  immoral  means. 

On  the  hooks,  engaged,  barga'ned  for. 

On  the  job  (Eng.),  out  for  the  day;  on  a  lark. 

On  the  lay  (crooked  implies-/;,  on  any  scheme  for  swindling. 
"What  laj  are  you  on?"  tiiat  is  "What  is  your  game?" 

On  the  loose,  dissipated ;  picking  up  a  living  on  the  streets. 

On  the  make,  looking  out  for  oneself.     See  Out  for  the 

STUFF. 

On  the  nose,  on  the  watch  or  look  out.     See  Nose,  ante. 

On  the  shelf,  as  ok-  maids  are  said  to  be  after  reaching  a  cer- 
tain or  uncertain  aje. 

On  the  tiles,  dissipated ;  out  on  the  spree. 

On  time,  punctual,  ready ;  at  the  appointed  moment. 

Oof  (Eng.),  money.  The  oof-bird  is  the  cashier  or  paymas- 
ter. 

Open  the  ball,  to  commence  anything,  from  a  fight  to  a  pic- 
nic. 

Oracle,  "to  work  the"  (Eng.),  to  plan,  plot  or  manoeuvre. 

Organ-grinder,  a  fellow  who  travels  with  a  barrel-organ. 

Ornery  (Amo),  ordinary;  much  used  in  the  East  for  mean  or 
unpleasauL 


196  OUT— OWN 

Out  and  out  (Eng.),  entirely,  thoroughly. 

Out  for  the  stuff  (Am.),  said  of  politicians  at  election  time, 
when  money  is  to  be  got. 

Out  of  collar  (Eng.),  out  of  work. 

Out  of  kilter  (Am.),  out  of  order,  not  fitting,  unsettled. 

Out  of  meat  (Am.),  hungry.  A  story  is  told  of  a  boy  dig- 
ging for  a  woodchuck,  to  whom  a  man  said  it  was  no  use 
wasting  time.  "Got  to  have  him,"  said  the  boy,  "minister's 
coming  to-morrow  and  we  are  out  of  meat." 

Out  of  sight  (Am.),  beyond  reach;  not  attainable. 

Out  of  soap,  without  money. 

Out  of  whack,  out  of  repair. 

Outsider,  one  who  is  not  in  the  ring ;  a  person  debarred 
from  society. 

Over  (Am.),  in  cricket  after  four  balls  have  been  delivered 
the  bowler,  wicket-keeper,  and  fielders  change  places  and 
the  bowling  is  done  from  the  former  batting  wicket. 

Over,  in  England  a  man  writes  a  newspaper  article  "over" 
his  own  signature.  In  the  United  States  we  say  he  "wrote 
under  the  signature  of,"  etc.  As  a  matter  of  fact  the  name 
follows  the  letter  and  over  would  seem  to  be  correct. 

Overslaughed,  passed  over,  omitted. 

Over  the  hroomstick,  irregular  marriages  among  the  gipsies 
are  said  to  be  thus  performed. 

Over  the  left  (Eng.),  an  exclamation  of  disbelief,  sometimes 
accompanied  Dy  pointing  the  hand  over  the  left  shoulder. 
See  In  a  horn,  ante. 

Over,  "to  come  it,"  to  delude  or  to  flatter  or  to  force  or  com- 
pel. 

Own  up,  to  confess  or  acknowledge. 


Pack,  go  away.  "Pack  off,  there."  "Sent  packing,"  dis- 
charged,  sent  about  one's  business. 

Pack  (Am.),  to  pack  a  meeting,  to  have  it  filled  up  by  per- 
sons pledged  to  a  particular  course. 

Pack  (Am.),  to  transport  in  packs  or  packages,  as  things  are 
carried  through  the  woods  or  over  rough  roads. 

Pad,  "to  stand"  (Eng.),  to  beg  with  a  paper  pinned  on  the 
breast  with  "I  am  starving"  or  "Relieve  a  shipwrecked 
sailor"  inscribed  on  it. 

Padding,  in  the  literary  world,  light  articles  of  a  miscellan- 
eous character  used  to  fill  up  the  magazines. 

Paddle,  to  go  away. 

Paddle  (Am.),  a  wooden  instrument  made  from  a  shingle 
and  used  to  punish  boys.     To  paddle  is  to  thrash. 

Paddle  one's  own  canoe  (Am.),  to  make  one's  own  way 
in  life ;  to  go  it  alone  as  a  canoeist  does. 

Pad  the  lioof,  to  walk. 

Paddingr-ken,  a  lodging  house  for  tramps. 

Paddy,  an  Irishman. 

Paddy  Murphy's  pig,  "as  Irish  as,"  the  ne  plus  ultra  of 
Hibernicism. 

Paddy's  gun,  "crooked  as;"  this  valuable  firearm  had  a  bend 
in  the  barrel  which  made  it  useful  for  shooting  round  the 
corner. 

Padro  (from  the  Latin  or  Portuguese),  a  clergyman, 

Painter  (Am.),  a  panther  or  catanipunt. 

'9r 


198  PAI— PAN 

Painter,  a  rope. 

Paint  the  town  red  (Am.),  to  go  on  an  extended  spree. 

Pal  (Gip.),  a  partner,  friend  or  accomplice. 

Palaver  (Gip.),  to  talk. 

Pale-face,  Indian  name  for  a  white  man. 

Pall  (Sea  term),  to  stop.  A  pall  is  a  small  instrument  used 
to  stop  the  motion  of  the  windlass. 

Palmetto  State  (Am.),  South  Carolina. 

Palm  off,  to  impose  upon  one  by  deceiving  him  as  to  the 
quality  of  an  article. 

Palming-,  swindling  or  secreting  small  articles  in  the  hands 
for  the  purpose  of  theft. 

Palm  oil,  money  given  as  a  bribe. 

Pam,  the  knave  of  clubs  at  the  game  of  loo. 

Pane  or  Parney  (Gip.),  rain. 

Panel  game  (Am.),  is  worked  by  a  thief  in  connection  with 
a  girl  of  the  town,  who  lures  men  to  a  prepared  room, 
which  the  thief  enters  by  a  concealed  door  or  a  moveable 
panel. 

Panel-worker,  the  operators  in  the  game  above  described* 

Panhandle  (Am.),  the  name  applied  to  a  district  of  West 
Virginia  from  its  shape,  lying  as  it  does  in  a  strip  between 
Pennsylvania  and  Ohio.  There  is  a  similar  division  of 
Texas  and  a  railroad  of  the  same  name. 

Pannikin  (Old  Eng.),  a  small  pan. 

Pannum  (Gip),  bread.  From  the  Latin  panis;  French, 
fain;  Lmgua- Franca, /a««e«. 

Pan  out,  from  the  practice  of  the  gulch  miners  of  shaking 
up  "pay  dirt"  in  a  pan  to  separate  the  grains  of  gold  from 
the  earth.  If  the  dirt  is  rich  it  is  said  to  "pan  out  well"  and 
the  expression  is  popularly  used  for  any  well-paying  ven- 
ture. 


PAN— PAS  tOQ 

PantUe,  a  hat. 

Pants  (Am.),  abbreviation  of  pantaloons;  trousers. 

Papers,  cards. 

Pappoose,  this  name,  though  commonly  applied  to  an  Indian 
baby,  does  not  appear  to  belong  to  any  Indian  dialect  but  is 
a  sort  of  pidgin-English  attempt  at  "babies"  as  "Yankee" 
or  "Yengees"  was  the  best  the  Indians  could  do  at  pro- 
nouncing the  word  English. 

Paradise,  French  slang  for  the  gallery  of  a  theatre,  where 
the  "gods"  sit.  " 

Parbnckle,  to  draw  barrels  up  an  inclined  plane  by  a  rope. 

Pard  or  Pardner  (Am.),  a  partner  or  companion. 

Parish  bull  (Eng.),  a  parson. 

Parish  lantern  (Eng.),  the  moon* 

Parley-voo,  a  Frenchman. 

Parney  (Gip.),  rain. 

Parrot  or  Poll-parrotingr,  too  much  talk.  In  Our  Mutual 
Friend  Mr.  Roger  Riderhood,  an  honest  man  who  earned 
his  bread  by  the  sweat  of  his  brow,  accuseci  his  daughter 
Pleasant  of  poll-parroting.  In  Othello  Cassio  when  in- 
veighing against  himself  for  his  drinking  match  with  lago, 
says  "Drunk  and  speak  parrot." 

Parson  (Eng.),  a  signpost;  one  who  points  the  way  but  does 
not  travel  it. 

Parson's  nose  (Eng.),  the  hind  part  of  a  goose. 

Part  (Eng.),  to  pay  or  to  give  up. 

Parter,  a  free,  liberal  paymaster  is  a  "good  parter." 

Party,  a  vulgarism  for  a  person;  "an  old  party."  But 
Shakespeare  has  it  and  it  is  used  in  the  English  version  of 
the  Apocrypha. 

Pass  in  one's  checks  (Am.),  to  die,  from  the  practice  of 
cashing  in  checks  or  chips  at  the  close  of  a  game. 


aoo  PAS— PAY 

Passengrer,  «to  wake  up  the  wrong"  (Am.),  to  interfere 
with  a  man  who  is  capable  of  making  an  effective  resist- 
ance. Railroad  thieves  who  operate  on  the  pockets  of 
sleeping  travelers  occasionally  make  a  mistake  of  this  kind. 

Paste,  to  punch  in  the  face. 

Pasteboards  (Eng.),  visitmg  cards.  Major  Pendennis  used 
the  word,  according  to  Thackeray. 

Paste-horn,  the  nose. 

Patch,  a  term  of  opprobrium  used  by  Shakespeare  and  the 
early  dramatists,  now  seldom  heard. 

Patch,  "not  a  patch  on  it,"  nowhere  near  it. 

Pate,  the  head. 

Pat  hand  (Am.),  at  the  game  of  draw  poker,  one  which  is 
satisfactory  to  the  holder  from  the  first.  To  "stand-pal"  is 
to  keep  such  a  hand  without  drawing  or  discarding.  Some- 
times this  is  done  for  a  bluff  when  the  hand  is  actually  a 
poor  one. 

Patroon  (Dutch),  a  grantee  of  land  under  the  old  Dutch 
government  of  New  York.  The  patroons  formed  a  landed 
aristocracy  similar  to  the  seigneurs  of  Canada. 

Patter  (Gip.),  talk,  an  oration,  the  speeches  of  counsel  or 
the  charge  of  a  judge.  To  "Patter  flash"  is  to  talk  cant 
or  slang. 

Patterer,  an  itinerant  vendor  of  cheap  songs  and  flash  litera- 
ture generally. 

Paul  Pry,  an  inquisitive  person;  from  the  character  in  the 
well-known  play. 

Paw,  the  hand. 

Pay,  to  beat. 

Pay  (Pidgin  Eng.),  to  deliver.  "Pay  that  letter  to  Mr. 
Smith." 

Pay  away  (Sea  term),  go  on  with  your  story. 


PAY— PEG  30I 

Pay  dirt  (Am.),  earth  which  yields  sufficient  of  the  precious 

metals  to  pay  the  miner  for  his  trouble. 
Pay,  "man  o'  war  fashion,"  is,  according  to  Marryatt  (see 

yacob  Faithful)^  "over  the  face  and  eyes  as  the  cat  paid  the 

monkey." 
Pay  through  the  nose,  to  pay  an  extortionate  price. 
Peach,  to  inform. 
Peaked,  thin,  sickly,  delicate. 
Peaky,  sickly  looking. 
Peart  or  Peert  (Am.),  brisk,  lively.      Formerly  common 

in  England,  but  now  unknown  there,  although  used  in  most 

parts  of  the  United  States. 
Peck  (Eng.),  food;   to  eat  ravenously.     "Where  I  peck," 

said  Joey  Ladle  in  No  Thoroughfare^  "is  not  so  high  an 

object  to  me  as  how  much  I  peck," 
Peck  alley,  the  throat. 
Pecker,  "keep  your  pecker  up,"  hold  up  your  head ;  don't 

get  down  in  the  mouth. 
Peckish  (Eng.),  hungry. 
Peddler's  French,  an  old  term  for  slang. 
Peek  (Old  Eng.),  to  peep.     Often  used  in  this  country. 
Peel  (P.  R.),  to  strip. 
Peeler  (Eng.),  a  policeman.     From  Sir  Robert  Peel.     See 

Bobby,  ante. 
Peepers  (P.  R.),  the  eyes. 
Peer  out  (Gip.),  to  look  about. 
Peery,  suspicious,  inquisitive. 
Peg,  an  English  shilling. 
Peg  (Australian),  a  drink  of  spirits. 
Peg  away,  to  work  industriously. 
Pegged  out,  played  out,  finished. 


ao2  PEG— PHA 

Peggers,  men  who  take  too  many  "pegs"  of  spirits. 

Pegr,  "to  take  down  a,"  to  check   an   arrogant   or  offensive 

person. 
Pelican,  a  term  of  opprobrium  as  "an  old  pelican,"  but  why 

so-called  is  unknown. 
Pelican  State  (Am.),  the  State  of  Louisiana,  from  its  coat 

of  arms. 
Pelt  (Eng.),  to  throw. 
Pemmican  (Am.),  dried  and  pounded  meat  and  grease  used 

on  the  plains. 
Pen  (Am.),  the  penitentiary. 
Penciler  (Eng.),  a  bookmaker. 
Penny-a-liner,  a  man  employed  on  English  newspapers  to 

do  reports  of  minor  happenings  and  paid  by  the  line. 
Penny  dreadfuls,  cheap  and  flashy  literature  of  the  "Ned 

Buntline"  and  <'Wild  Bill"  type. 
Penny  gaff,  the  lowest  kind   of  English  theatre  or  variety 

dive. 
Pensioner  (Eng.),  a  degraded   wretch  who  lives  on  the 

earnings  of  a  prostitute.     See  Ponce. 
People  (Am.),  "He  is  great  people,"  is  used  in  a  commenda- 
tory sense  of  anyone.  Job  said  of  his  friends  who  gave  him  so 

much  good  advice,  "I  know  that  you  are  the  people  and 

that  when  you  die  wisdom  will  depart  from  the  earth." 
Pepper,  to  beat. 
Peppery,  hot-tempered. 
Perch  or  Roost,  a  bed  or  resting-place. 
Petticoat,  a  woman. 
Pewter  (Eng.),  money.     Racing  cups,  although  of  a  richer 

metah  are  known  as  "pewters." 
Phat  or  Fat,  printer's  term  for  matter  which  they  are  paid 

to  set,  but  which,  as  in  the  case  of  advertisements,  etc.,  is 

not  solid  but  is  spaced  out. 


PHI-PIG  903 

Philadelphia  lawyer,  "that  beats  a,"  a  common  saying,  but 
whence  derived  is  unknown. 

Philander,  to  talk  discursively  with  women;  to  ramble  on 
incoherently. 

Philistine,  in  the  slang  of  the  aesthete,  all  persons  who  do 
not  magnify  the  importance  of  culture  are  "Philistines"  or 
"Goths." 

Physogr,  Phiz  or  Fizzogr,  the  face  or  countenance. 

Pi,  type  spilt  and  mixed  up. 

Picayune,  in  Louisiana,  one-sixteenth  of  a  dollar. 

Picaroon  (Sp.),  a  thief. 

Picayunish  (Am.),  petty,  small. 

Pick,  "to  pick  on  any  one"  is  to  make  an  assault  bodily  or 
verbally  on  him. 

Pickanninny  (Am.),  a  negro  baby. 

Pickers  (Old  Eng.),  the  hands.     See  Shakespeare,  Hamlet, 

Pickle  (Eng.),  a  mischievous  boy. 

Pickle,  "in  a  pickle,"  in  a  mess  or  a  bad  way. 

Pick-me-up  (Am.),  a  drink  taken  after  a  debauch;  a  tonic. 

Pick-up,  a  street  walker. 

Pick-up,  a  make-shift  dinner;  anything  you  can  get. 

Pick  up,  to  improve  in  health. 

Pick  up  (Am.),  to  clean  up  a  room. 

Pidgrin-CngUsh,  a  jargon  used  by  the  Chinese  of  the  sea- 
port towns  in  their  communications  with  the  English. 

Piece,  a  contemptuous  term  for  a  woman.  The  English 
lower  classes  speak  of  a  girl  as  a  "nice  piece  of  stuff." 

Pigeon  (Eng.),  a  gullible  or  soft  person,  one  easily  cheated. 
Frequenters  of  gambling  houses  are  divided  into  "pigeons'* 
and  "rooks,"  otherwise  "flies"  and  "spiders." 

Pig-headed  (Eng.),  obstinate. 


204  PIG— PIN 

Pig  in  a  poke,  «to  buy  a"  (Eng.),  is  to  purchase  something 
without  seeing  it.  From  the  old  story  of  a  man  who 
bought,  as  he  supposed,  a  pig  in  a  "poke"  or  sack  and  when 
he  got  home  a  cat  jumped  out  of  the  bag. 

Pig*s  baby  or  Sow's  baby,  an  English  sixpence. 

Pig-'s  whisper  (Eng.),  an  indefinitely  short  space  of  time. 

Pike,  a  Missourian. 

Pike  it,  to  run  off. 

Pile  ^Am.),  a  sum  of  money;  all  that  one  has.  To  make 
one  s  pile  is  to  make  a  fortune. 

Pile-in  (Am.),  make  a  beginning. 

Pile  it  on,  to  "lay  it  on  thick ;"  to  overdo  anything. 

Pilgrrim  (Am.),  a  traveler;  in  the  West  a  "tenderfoot." 

Pill  (Eng.),  to  blackball  an  applicant  for  admission  to  a 
club. 

Pill,  "a  bad  pill"  is  an  objectionable  person  or  one  of  low 
morals. 

Pill-box  (Eng.),  a  one-horse  brougham ;  a  carriage  much  af- 
fected by  doctors. 

Pills,  a  doctor. 

Pills,  bullets. 

Pin,  "to  put  in  the,"  to  stop  drinking. 

Pinch,  to  arrest. 

Pinch,  to  steal. 

Pinch,  "a  tight  pinch,"  in  danger  or  short  of  money. 

Pinchbeck  (Eng.),  imitation  jewelry,  from  the  name  of  its 
inventor. 

Pine-tree  State  (Am.),  Maine. 

Pink,  "the  pink  of  perfection,"  the  acme  of  style. 

Pink  (Eng.),  the  scarlet  coats  worn  in  the  hunting-field. 

Pink,  to  stab  or  pierce. 


PIN— PLA 


305 


Pins,  legs. 

Pipe  or  Pipe-oflf  (Am.),  to  follow  or  watch. 

Pipe  one's  eye  (Eng.),  to  shed  tears.    According  to  Hood, 

"The  bosun  eyed  his  pipe, 
And  then  he  piped  his  eye." 

Pipe,  "to  put  out  one's,"  to  traverse  his  plans;  to  knock  him 
out. 

Pipe-laying  (Am.),  like  Log-rolling  (gr.  w.),  is  making 
arrangements  for  political  success  without  much  considera- 
tion as  to  the  means  employed. 

Pipe,  "put  that  in  your  pipe,"  a  clincher  to  an  argument. 

Piper-oflf,  a  spy  or  "spotter." 

Pippin  (Eng.),  a  term  of  endearment  or  friendship.  "How 
are  you,  my  pippin  ?" 

Pips,  the  spots  on  playing  cards. 

Pistaroon  or  Pistareen,  a  silver  coin  worth  twenty  cents. 

Pitch  (Eng.),  any  locality  selected  by  a  hawker  or  street 
patterer  for  his  operations. 

Pitch,  to  pass  base  coin.  Smashers  are  also  known  as 
Snide  pitchers  (f.  v.) 

Pitch  (Eng.),  to  sleep  for  a  short  time,  as  on  the  floor  or  on 
a  lounge.  London  journeymen  bakers  "pitch  in"  every 
night  while  waiting  for  their  dough  to  rise. 

Pitching-  the  hatchet,  telling  incredible  yams  of  the  Mun- 
chausen order. 

Pitch  into,  to  fight. 

Pitch  the  forlc,  to  tell  a  pitiful  story. 

Place,  to  name  the  first  three  horses  in  a  race  in  their  order. 

Placee  (Am.),  a  name  formerly  given  in  the  South  to  a  col- 
ored  mistress  of  a  white  man. 

Placer-diggings  (Am.),  are  localities  where  gold  is  fotind 
scattered  in  the  surface  dirt. 


3o6  PLA— PLU 

Plack  (Scotch),  a  half  penny. 

Plank  (Am.),  to  lay  down;  to  pay  out  money. 

Plank  (Am.),  the  component  parts  of  a  political  platform 
are  known  as  planks. 

Plant,  a  swindle,  a  put-up  job,  a  dodge. 

Plant,  a  hidden  store  of  money  or  valuables. 

Planted,  buried. 

Plates  of  meat  (Eng.),  feet. 

Platform  (Am.),  a  declaration  of  principles  by  a  political 
party,  convention  or  candidate. 

Play,  to  go  on  strike;  to  be  out  of  work. 

Play  ball  (Am.),  go  on  with  what  you  are  about. 

Played  out,  ended,  ruined. 

Playing  'possum  (Am.),  act  a  part,  deceiving.  The  opos- 
sum when  struck  often  pretends  to  be  dead. 

Plaza  (Sp.),  a  public  square.  Used  in  New  Mexico  and 
Lower  California, 

Plebs,  name  given  by  boys  at  English  public  schools  to  the 
town  boys,  with  whom  they  are  always  at  war. 

Ploughed  (Eng.),  failing  to  pass  an  examination  at  one  of 
the  universities.     See  Plucked. 

Ploughed,  drunk. 

Pluck  (Eng.),  courage,  valor. 

Pluck  (Eng.),  the  liver  and  lungs  of  a  sheep  or  hog. 

Plucked  (Eng.),  failing  to  pass  an  examination.  See 
Ploughed,  ante. 

Plug  (Am.),  a  hat.     Also  a  cake  of  chewing  tobacco. 

Plug  (Am.),  a  name  applied  by  telegraph  operators  to  a  poor 
hynd  at  telegraphy  or  to  the  operator  at  a  small  "plug" 
station. 

Plugger  (Am.),  one  who  plays  in  a  gambling  house  to  in- 
duce the  belief  that  a  game  is  going  on. 


PLU— POL  207 

Plng-ugly  (Am.),  name  given  to  the  rowdies  of  Baltimore. 

Plum  (Eng.),  directly,  exactly. 

Plum  (Eng.),  one  hundred  thousand  pounds.  Perhaps 
from  pluma^  a  feather,  the  idea  being  that  the  possessor 
of  such  a  sum  had  "well-feathered  his  nest." 

Plummy  (Eng.),  round,  sleek,  jolly,  fat. 

Plumper  (Eng.),  a  single  or  straight  vote  at  an  election,  the 
opposite  of  a  "split  ticket." 

Plunder  (Eng.),  baggage,  personal  belongings,  profit. 

Plunger  (Eng.),  a  heavy  dragoon. 

Plunger  (Eng.),  a  man  who  bets  heavily;   a  "high  roller." 

Plunk  (Am.),  a  dollar. 

Pocket  (Am.),  in  mining  phrase,  a  small  deposit  of  the  prec- 
ious metal ;  not  a  true  fissure  vein. 

Pocket,  "to  put  up  with"  (Eng.),  a  man  who  fails  to  resent 
an  affront  is  said  to  pocket  it,  while  a  poor  man  is  compelled 
to  "pocket  his  pride." 

Pocket-pistol,  a  spirit  flask. 

Podgy,  short,  dumpy. 

Pogy  (Am.),  a  jail  or  workhouse. 

Point  or  Pointer,  information ;  a  tip. 

Poke  (Am.),  to  dawdle. 

Poke  (Old  Eng.),  a  sack  or  bag.  There  is  an  old  proverb 
about  "buying  a  pig  in  a  poke."     See  ante. 

Poker,  a  stupid  person ;  a  bore. 

Poker,  a  game  of  cards,  otherwise  known  as  "Draw." 

Poky,  confined,  cramped,  as  a  "poky"  room. 

Policy,  a  game  based  on  the  choice  of  numbers  supposed  to 
be  drawn  by  lot.  It  is  a  great  favorite  with  negroes.  Two 
chosen  numbers  coming  out  constitute  a  "saddle;"  three  a 
«*gig"  and  four  a  "horse,"  and  each  pays  accordingly. 


2o8  POL— POP 

PoUsh  oflf  (P.  R.),  to  finish,  as  in  a  fight. 

Poll,  to  beat  or  distance. 

Pollywog,  a  tadpole. 

Polony,  a  Cockneyism  for  bologna  sausage. 

Pompadour,  the  style  of  brushing  the  hair  high  up  in  front, 
much  affected  by  dudes.  The  name  comes  from  Mme.  de 
Pompadour. 

Pompeyed,   a   ridiculous   equivalent    for    pampered.      See 
Dickens,  Great  Expectations. 
I  Ponce  (Eng.),  a  pimp  who  lives  upon  the  earnings  of  a  pros- 
titute.    See  Pensioner. 

Pond  or  Herring-pond,  the  ocean. 

Pone  (Am.),  a  cake  made  of  corn  meal.  The  name  is  a  cor- 
ruption of  an  Indian  word. 

Pony  (Eng.),  twenty-five  pounds. 

Pony,  a  translation  of  a  classical  work  used  by  students.     In 

England  it  is  a  "crib." 
Pony,  a  small  glass  of  spirits. 
Pony  up,  to  pay. 
Poo-Bab,  one  full  of  business;  a  jack  of  all  trades.     From  a 

character  in  the  opera  of  The  Mikado,  on  whom  all  manner 

of  work  is  thrust. 

Pooh-pooh,  an  exclamation  signifying  unbelief;  to  deride. 

Pool,  to  unite  issues,  to  aggregate  funds  and  combine 
as  is  done  by  railroad  corporations.  See  Trust  and  Com- 
bine. 

Poona  (Gip.),  an  English  sovereign  or  pound. 

Poor  Lo,  the  American  Indian.     See  Lo,  ante. 

Poorly  (Eng.),  in  bad  health. 

Pop,  to  pawn  or  pledge.     To  "pop  up  the  spout." 

Pop,  a  mild  drink,  like  ginger-beer. 


POP— POT 


209 


Pop  (Am.),  a  pistol  or  revolver. 

Pope's  nose.    See  Parson's  nose,  ante. 

Poppycock,  nonsense,  silly  boasting. 

Pop  the  question,  to  make  an  offer  of  marriage. 

Popular  (Am.),  conceited,  fussy.     "As  popular  as  a  hen 

with  one  chicken." 
Portagre  (Am.),  a  carrying-place  over  land  from  one  naviga- 

ble  stream  to  another,  or  around  falls  or  rapids. 
Post,  to  pay  out  money ;  to  "post  the  coal"  is  a  sporting  term 

signifying  to  make  one's  stake  good. 
Posted,  when  a  man  refuses  to  pay  his  gambling  debts  his 

name  is  posted.     Also  if  he  refuses  to  fight  a  duel  he  may 

be  posted  as  a  coward, 
Posted-up,  well-acquainted  with  a  subject. 
Pot,  a  favorite  in  the  betting. 
Pot,  to  finish.     "Gone  to  pot"  means  dead,  from  the  classic 

custom  of  placing  the  ashes  of  the  dead  in  an  urn. 
Pot   (Am.),  the   accumulated   bets   in   a  game    of    poker, 

A  "jack-pot"  is  one  which  can  only  be  opened  by  a  player 

who  holds  a  pair  of  jacks  or  better. 
Potato-trap  (Eng.),  the  mouth. 

Potboiler  (Eng.),  a  picture  painted  or  sketch  written  hur- 
riedly and  for  the  purpose  of  "keeping  the  pot  boiling." 
Potheen,  Irish  whisky  of  the   home-made  kind,  prepared 

from  potatoes  and  flavored  with  peat  smoke. 
Pot-hunter  (Eng.),  an  alleged  sportsman  who  shoots  every- 
thing he  comes  across,  whether  game  or  not. 
Pot  luck  (Eng.),  just  as  it  comes;  anything  there  may  be  in 

the  house  for  dinner. 
Potted  (Eng.),  buried.     Also  said  of  anything  put  out  of  the 

way,  as  to  "pot"  the  ball  at  pool. 
Potter,  to  meddle  without  judgment;  to  mess  about. 


2IO  POT— PRI 

Pot-valiant  (Eng.),  courageous  through  application  to  the 

bottle.     Full  of  Dutch  courage,  {^q.  v.) 
Pot-wrestler  or  Pot-walloper  (Am.),  a  scullion  or  dish- 

Pour-boire  (Fr.),  a  small  gift  or  tip,  literally  "for  beer."      "  .  -^v 

Pow  (Scotch),  the  head.  ~  {>t   *^ 

"Now  blessings  on  thy  frosty  pow, 
John  Anderson,  my  Jo." 

Powder  monkey,  a  boy  who  carries  ammunition  and  supplies 

for  gunners  on  board  ship. 
Power,  a  large  quantity,  as  a  "power  of  money." 
Pow-wow  (Am.  Indian),  a  conference. 
P.  P.,  play  or  pay,  in  racing  parlance  means  that  the  bet 

must  be   paid   whether  the  backer  "gets  a  run   for  his 

money"  or  not. 
P.  R.,  the  prize  ring. 
Prad  (Gip.),  a  horse. 
Prairie  State  (Am. ),  the  State  of  Illinois.     See  also  Sucker 

State. 
Prancer  (Gip.),  a  horse. 
Praties  (Irish),  potatoes. 
Precious,  very  or  great,  as  "precious  few,"  or  "a  precious 

rascal." 
Presently  (Scotch),  directly;  at  present. 
Pretty,  in  Scotland,  a  tall,  fine-looking  man  is  described  as  a 

"pretty"  man. 
Previousness,  freshness. 
Prial,  a  corruption  of  pair-royal,  a  term  used  in  cribbage  to 

signify   any  three  cards   of   a   similar   description.     Four 

such  cards  form  a  double  prial. 

Prig  (Old  Eng.),  a  thief;  used  as  a  verb,  to  steal.     See  Win- 
ter*s  TaUy  iv^  2. 


PRI— PUE  211 

Prig  (Eng.),  a  conceited,  stuck-up  person. 

Prig  (Scotch),  to  beat  down  in  price;  to  bargain. 

Priggish  (Eng.),  conceited. 

Primed  (Eng.),  well-loaded  with  drink. 

Primp  up,  to  dress  up.     Probably  the  same  as  Prink.     See 
next  article. 

Prink,  to  make  neat  or  fine. 

Prinked  out,  well  dressed. 

Pro  (Theatrical),  an  actor;  a  member  of  "the"  profession. 

Prog,  food. 

Prop,  a  necktie  or  scarf-pin. 

Prop,  a  blow. 

Proper,  very,  exceedingly,  good.     A  "proper"  man  is  a  tall, 
fine-looking  fellow. 

Props,   theatrical  properties;   articles  used  in  presenting  a 
drama,  as  pictures,  tables,  sham  jewelry,  etc. 

Props,  crutches. 

Prospecting,  searching  for  gold  or  other  mineral  deposits* 
A  "prospect"  is  a  fair  outlook  for  successful  mining. 

Prosser  (Eng.),  one  who  lives  on  the  earnings  of  a  prosti- 
tute. 

Provider  (Am.),  spoken  of  a  husband.    "He  is  a  good  pro- 
vider," (for  his  family  implied). 

P»s  and  Q*s,  precise  behavior.     "Mind  your  P*s  and  Q's,* 
be  careful. 

Pub  (Eng.),  a  public  house;  a  tavern. 

Pucker,  "in  a,"  in  a  temper. 

Pucker,  a  snarl  or  tangle. 

Pucker  up,  to  twist  up  the  mouth,  as  one  does  who  eats  an 
olive,  a  lemon,  or  a  persimmon. 

Pueblo  (Sp.),  a  village  or  house. 


ai2  PUF— PUN 

Puflf,  an  advertisement;  to  puff  is  to  praise  unduly. 

Pug,  short  for  pugilist. 

Puke,  nickname  for  a  Missourian.  • 

Pukka  (Hindustani).     In  India  anything  that  is  good  and 

nice  is  "puklca,"  and  the  word  is  used  as  an  adjective  much 

as  "awful"  is  in  England. 
Pull   (Am.),  an  advantage  held  over  another  person. 
Pull  (Am.),  to  arrest,  or  to  raid  a  gambling- house  or  house 

of  ill -fame. 
Pull,  to  pull  a  horse  in  a  race,  is  for  the  jockey  to  hold  him 

in  or  so  ride  as  to  prevent  him  winning. 
Pull  (Am.),  *'to  have  a  pull,"  to  be  possessed  of  influence;  a 

word  much  used  in  the  political  world. 
Pull  down  your  vest,  a  stupid  expression  which  originated 

a  few  years  ago,  became  a  catch  phrase  on  the  streets  and 

then  faded  into  deserved  oblivion. 
Pullet  (Eng.),  a  young  girl. 
Pull  foot  (Am.),  to  start  off  rapidly;  to  run. 
Pull  through,  to  succeed ;  to  recover  from  an  illness. 
Pull  up  stakes  (Am.),  to  remove  bag  and  baggage. 
Pull  wool  over  one*s  eyes,  to  deceive;  to  humbug. 
Pummel  or  Pommel,  to  thrash. 
Pump,  to  extract  information  by  cross-questioning. 
Pundit  (Hindu),  a  grave  and  reverend  seignior;   a  learned 

man. 
Punkah  (Hindu),  a  swinging  fan  used  for  ventilating  houses 

in  the  East  Indies. 
Punkins,  "some"  (Am.)  (pumpkins),  good,  smart.     About 

the  opposite  of  Small  potatoes  (f.  z>.) 
Punt,  to  gamble. 
Punter,  a  small  gambler  or  backer  of  horses;   an  attendant 

at  a  gambling  table. 


PUR— PUT  913 

Purl,  to  spill. 

Purl  (Old  Eng.),  a  mixture  of  hot  ale  and  sugar  used  in  old 
times  as  a  morning  drink  and  known  as  "early  purl." 

Purler  (Eng.),  a  heavy  fall  from  a  horse  in  the  hunting- 
field. 

Purr  (Eng.),  to  kick. 

Purry  (Old  Scotch),  the  poker. 

Pusb  (Eng.),  a  crowd. 

Push,  a  robbery  or  swindle. 

Puss  (P.  R.),  the  mouth. 

Put  (Eng.),  a  game  of  cards. 

Put  (Am.),  to  start  or  go  away;  to  put  out 

Put  a  head  on  (Am.),  to  punch  or  assault  another. 

Put  it  on  ice  (Am.),  charge  it  up. 

Put  on  (Eng.),  to  promise  another  a  share  in  a  bet  should 
it  prove  successful.  Thus  a  racing  man  will  say  to  his 
jockey,  "I  have  put  you  on  so  much  on  to-day's  race." 
That  means  that  if  the  jockey  wins  he  will  receive  the  bet, 
while  if  he  loses  he  will  not  have  to  pay,  the  bet  being  car- 
ried by  the  employer. 

Put  one's  foot  down,  to  become  imperative. 

Put  out  (Eng.),  annoyed,  angry. 

Put  out,  to  start  or  set  out;  to  put  off. 

Puts,  on  the  Stock  Exchange,  a  gambling  transaction  in 
which  a  man  pays  for  the  privilege  of  delivering  stock  at  a 
certain  price  within  a  specified  time.     See  Call,  ante. 

Putter  up  (Eng.),  an  associate  of  housebreakers  and  bur- 
glars who  obtains  information  about  good  "plants"  and  ar- 
ranges the  preliminaries  of  a  robbery. 

Put  that  in  your  pipe  (Eng.),  think  of  it;  digest  it 
Put  the  pot  on  (Eng.),  to  bet  largely. 


214  PUT 

Put  through,  to  carry  any  undertaking  into  effect;  to  com- 
plete a  deal. 

Put  to  sleep  (P.  R.)  a  word  of  recent  introduction,  signify » 
ing  to  knock  a  man  out;  to  render  him  incapable  of  con-^ 
tinuing  a  contest  in  the  ring. 

Put  up,  to  suggest;  to  incite. 

Put  up,  to  stop  at  an  hotel  or  tavern. 

Put  up,  to  supply  one  with  money. 

Put-up  job,  a  robbery  or  swindle  arranged  in  advance. 

Put  upon,  cheated,  victimized. 


Q 


Quadroon  (Am.),  the  ofbpring  of  a  white  person  and  a 

mulatto. 
Quality  (Eng.),  the  upper  classes;  gentry. 
Quandary,    a  dilemma,  a  doubt;  from  the  French  qu^en 

diraije. 
Quarter,  twenty-five  cents. 
Quartereen  (Sp.),  a  small  coin. 
Quaver,  a  musician. 
Quean  (Old   Eng.),  a  woman,  a  strumpet.     Falsta£F  says, 

"Throw  the  quean  in  the  channel,"   when  Mrs.  Quickly 

seeks  his  arrest. 
Queer,  counterfeit  money. 
Queer,  "to  queer  a  Hat,"  is  to  gammon  or  bamboozle  him. 

Byron  uses  the  word  in  Don  yuan^  Canto  xi. 
Queer,  base,  roguish,  worthless.     Also  anything  peculiar  or 

strange. 
Queer  Guffin  (Old),  a  Justice  of  the  Peace  or  committing 

magistrate. 
Queer-soft,  counterfeit  notes  or  bills. 

Queer  street,  "to  be  in"  (Eng.),  to  be  in  trouble  or  diffi- 
culty. 
Quid,  an  English  sovereign. 

Quid  (Sea  term),  a  mouthful  or  "chaw"  of  tobacco. 
Quid-nnnc,  "What  now  ?"  an  inquisitive  person,  one  always 

asking  for  news. 
Quiet,  "on  the,"  clandestinely,  in  secret. 

116 


3X6  QUI— QUO 

Quill-dpiver,  a  clerk  or  scrivener. 

Quilt,  to  thrash. 

Quit  (Am.),  to  stop. 

Quite  (Am.),  is  used  to  express  an  indefinite  space  of  time, 

as  "quite  a  while,"  or   an  indefinite  quantity  as  "quite  a 

number."     In  either  case  the  English  is  bad. 
Quitter,  said  of  a  horse  which  breaks  down  in  a  race  or  a 

man  who  "quits"  in  a  fight.     The  opposite  of  "stayer." 
Quiz,  to  joke  or  roast. 

Quiz,  "an  old,"  a  prying  person;  an  odd  fellow. 
Quizzical,  jocose,  humorous. 
Quizzing-glass,  an  eye-glass. 
Quod,  prison,  probably  from  the  quadrangular  shape  of  such 

edifices  or  of  their  enclosed  court  yards. 


.  >    v?,i.  t.:.. 


R 


"Race,  used  as  a  verb,  to  run;  to  chase. 

Back,  used  for  wreck,  as  in  "gone  to  rack  and  ruin." 

Backer,  a  pacer. 

Backet,  a  noise  or  disturbance;  a  dodge.    "What  racket  are 

you  on  ?"  what  are  you  about. 
Backetty,  wild,  noisy. 

Back  of  bones,  a  starved  horse  or  other  domestic  animal. 
Backs,  the  bones  or  frame- work  of  a  dead  horse. 
Baff  (Eng.),  a  dissipated  fellow;  a  cheap  swell. 
Baffish,  dissipated. 
Bagr,  a  bank-note  or  bill. 
Bagramuffin  (Eng.),  an  ill-clad  vagabond. 
Bag  money  (Am.),  paper  money. 
Bag  off  the  bush,  "to  take  the,"  to  exceL 
Bags,  money. 
Bag-shop,  a  bank. 

BaUroad,  to  push  through  at  a  rapid  pace,  as  "He  was  rail* 
roaded  to  the  penitentiary." 

Bain-napper,  an  umbrella. 

Baise  (Am.),  to  bring  up;  to  rear  from  childhood.    Also  to 

grow  corn  or  other  crops. 
Baise  a  racket,  to  kick  up  a  row. 
Baise  Cain  or  Baise  Ned,  to  create  a  disturbance. 
Baise  the  Wind  (Eng.),  to  obtain  money  or  credit. 

m 


ai8  RAI— RAP 

Baise,  «to  make  a"  (Am.),  to  borrow  money. 

Bake  down,  to  scold. 

Bake-off,  the  bank's  percentage  at  a  gambling  game. 

Baker,  «to  go  a,"  to  bet  hea,vily;  the  usual  preliminary  to 

"coming  a  cropper." 
Bamp  (Eng.),  to  hustle   for  the  purpose  of   robbery;   to 

blackmail. 
Bampage,  "on  the,"  on  a  drunk  or  in  a  violent  temper. 

Mrs.  Joe  Gargery  in  Great  Expectations  had  a  habit  of 

going  on  the  rampage,  much  to  the  discomfort  of  poor  Pip. 

Bamper  (Eng.),  a  brutal  ruffian  who  infests  race  courses, 
and  forms  one  of  a  gang  who  assault  persons  for  the  pur- 
pose of  robbery. 

Bamps,  at  the  game  of  pin-pool,  to  knock  down  four  pins, 
leaving  the  king-pin  standing,  and  thus  winning  the  game. 

Bamshackle,  queer,  rickety,  knocked  about. 

Banche  (Sp.),  a  house  or  farm. 

Bandan,  where  a  boat  is  impelled  by  three  rowers;  the  mid- 
shipman sculling  and  the  other  two  rowing,  this  is  styled 
rowing  "randan." 

Bandy,  disorderly,  noisy. 

Bangry  (Am.),  large,  loosely  built.     Said  of  a  horse  or  cow. 

Bank,  full-grown,  complete,  as  "a  rank  sucker." 

Bank,  to  cheat. 

Bantan,  "on  the,**  drunk. 

Banter,  a  term  of  derision  applied  to  a  Methodist.  There  is 
a  sect  registered  in  England  as  "Ranters." 

BantipoU,  a  noisy,  rude  girl ;  a  madcap. 

Bap,  to  swear  in  a  court  of  justice. 

Bap,  to  speak  vehemently  and  rapidly,  as  to  "rap  out  oaths." 

Bapid,  an  equivalent  for  Fast  (f .  v,) 


RAP— REA  119 

Rapparee  (Irish),  a  name  given  to  the  Irish  rebels  and  out- 
laws who  infested  the  bogs  and  maintained  a  guerilla  war- 
fare. 

Kappingr,  large,  enormous,  as  a  "rapping  big  lie.** 

Rapscallion,  a  low  fellow;  a  tattered  and  ragged  man. 

Baree-sbow,  a  collection  of  curiosities. 

Bat  (Eng.),  a  sneak,  an  informer,  a  turncoat  To  rat  is  to 
leave  one's  party. 

Bat,  among  working  men  a  non-unioaist;  one  who  works 
under  price. 

Bat,  Ho  smell  a,"  to  suspect  something. 

Bather,  a  stupid  ejaculation  synonymous  with  yes;  **Do  you 
go  out  of  town  this  year?"     "Rather." 

Battening  (Eng.),  outrages  committed  by  trade  unionists  on 

objectionable  workmen. 
Battle,  "an  agreeable"  (Eng.),  a  lady's  man;   a  fellow  full 

of  smart  talk. 
Battlebrain  (Eng.),  a  flighty  person. 
Battler,  a  hustler;  a  lively  fellow. 
Battletrap  (Eng.),  a  shaky  buggy  or  wagon  or  anything 

out  of  order. 
Battletrap,  the  mouth. 
Battling,  noisy,  jolly,  pleasant 
Baw  (Eng.),  a  tender  point  or  foible;   to  <*touch  a  man  on 

the  raw"  is  to  irritate  him  as  if  by  touching  a  wound. 
Baw,  a  novice,  fresh,  green.  See  Johnny  Raw,  ante. 
Bazzle-dazzle,  to  confuse  or  deceive.     Also  an  equivalent 

for  drunk. 
Beach  me  downs  or  Hand  me  downs,  clothes  bought  at 

second-hand  stores. 
Beader,  a  pocket-book. 


230  REA— REN 

Beady,  money. 

Beal,  is  used  in  the  United  States  instead  of  very,  as  "You're 

real  mean,"  or  "I'm  real  glad  to  see  you."     The  usage  is 

not  a  commendable  one. 
Real  jam,  anything  exceptionably  good. 

Beckon,  used  in  the  South  as  "calculate"  is  in  New  England, 
has  no  less  an  authority  than  the  Authorized  Version  to  back 
it.  St.  Paul  says,  Romans  viii.  i8^  "For  I  reckon  that  the 
sufferings  of  this  time  are  not  worthy,"  etc.  See  also 
Romans  vi,  2» 

Bed  cent,  the  smallest  copper  coin. 

Bed  do^,  a  name  formerly  given  to  State  Bank  notes. 

Bed,  "not  a  red,"  (Am.),  out  of  money. 

Bedd  (Old  Eng.),  to  clean  up  the  house  or  room. 

Bed-eye  (Am.),  new  whisky. 

Bed  herring",  a  British  soldier. 

Bed-hot,  a  red-hot  time  is  a  "drunk"  or  a  "hurrah  time." 

Bed  lane,  the  throat. 

Bed  liquor  (Am.),  whisky. 

Bed  rag,  the  tongue. 

Bed-tape  (Am.),  official  routine.  From  the  color  of  the 
string  with  which  official  papers  are  tied. 

Bed  'un  or  Bed  super,  a  gold  watch. 

Befresher  (Eng.),  money  paid  an  attorney  or  barrister  from 
day  to  day  during  the  progress  of  a  trial  or  case  in  court. 

Begrulars  (Thieves'  slang),  a  fair  division  of  plunder. 

Begulators  (Am.),  self -constituted  guardians  of  public  vir- 
tue and  morality,  who  form  Vigilance  Committees  and  join 
in  lynching  parties. 

Believing  officer  (Eng.),  a  father. 

Beuagrue  (Irish),  to  revoke  at  cards. 


REP— RIG  aai 

Repeater  (Am.),  one  who  votes  early  and  often  at  an  elec- 
tion. 

Resurrection  man,  a  grave-robber.  See  Dickens'  Tale  of 
Two  Cities. 

Resurrection  pie,  a  pie  made  of  scraps  or  leavings. 

Retainer,  a  preliminary  fee  paid  to  a  lawyer. 

Rhino  (Old  Eng.),  money. 

Rib,  a  wife.     See  Genesis^  chap,  ii^  verse  21. 

Ribbon  (Eng.),  gin,  whisky  or  other  spirits. 

Ribbons  (Eng.),  carriage  reins. 

Ribroasty  to  beat. 

Ricb,  spicy,  luscious,  entertaining. 

Ride,  to  carry,  to  transport.  In  England  one  drives  ahuggy 
but  rides  a  horse,  while  in  the  United  States  one  goes  for 
a  ride  whether  on  horseback  or  in  a  carriage. 

Ride  the  high  horse,  to  put  on  style;  to  be  overbearing  or 
oppressive. 

Rider,  an  addition  to  a  legislative  measure. 

Riding  for  a  flail,  in  the  hunting-field  or  in  steeple-chasing 
cunning  riders  who  see  no  chance  of  being  in  at  the  finish 
sometimes  ride  for  a  fall,  coming  down  as  easily  as  they 
can  and  thus  saving  their  reputation  as  horsemen,  the  mat- 
ter being  credited  as  an  accident.  So,  too,  in  the  business 
world  where  a  speculator  finds  himself  unable  to  meet  his 
engagements  he  places  some  of  his  assets  in  safety  and 
rides  for  a  fall. 

Riffle,  "to  make  the"  (Am.),  to  succeed. 

Riff-raff,  low,  vulgar  people. 

Rig  (Am.),  a  horse  and  wagon  or  team. 

Big,  a  trick  or  dodge.  To  "run  a  rig"  b  to  play  tricks,  and 
•*to  rig  the  market"  is  much  the  same. 


222  RIG— RIP 

Bigged-oat,  well-dressed. 

digging,  a  woman's  clothing. 

Right  (Am.),  is  used  for  very,  as  "it  rains  right  hard." 

Right  along  (Am.),  without  cessation,  continuously. 

Right  as  a  trivet,  exactly  right,  but  why  trivet  is  unknown. 

Right  away  (Am.),  directly,  immediately. 

Right  here  or  Right  now  (Am.),  at  this  time. 

Right  off  (Am.),  immediately. 

Rights,  "to  have  one  dead  to,"  to  be  even  with  him ;  to  serve 
him  out. 

Right  you  are  (Eng.),  a  phrase  expressive  of  acquiesence. 

Rigmarole,  a  prolix  or  stupid  story. 

Rile  or  Roil  (Am.),  to  trouble,  as  to  "roil  the  water." 

Riled,  annoyed,  offended. 

Ring  (Am.),  a  combination  of  speculators  or  politicians. 

Ring,  "betting,"  the  enclosure  used  by  betting  men  at  races. 

Ring-dropping,  an  imitation  gold  ring  is  dropped  by  the  op- 
erator, who  pretends  to  have  just  found  it  and  offers  to  sell 
it  cheap  to  the  "sucker"  of  the  occasion.  See  Fawney- 
RiG,  ante. 

Ringer,  a  horse  entered  in  a  race  under  a  false  name  with 
intent  to  deceive  the  handicappers  or  judges. 

Ring  in,  to  ring  in  is  to  substitute  a  "cold  deck"  of  cards  for 
the  proper  ones,  or  in  any  other  way  to  cheat  by  substitu- 
tion or  false  entry. 

Ring  the  changes  (Am.),  to  swindle  by  substituting  bad 
money  for  good. 

Ring,  "the  twenty-four  foot,"  the  regulation  prize-ring. 

Rip,  an  old  rake ;  an  abbreviation  of  reprobate. 

Rip  (Am.),  to  go  at  a  great  pace.    "Let  her  rip." 

Ripper  (Eng.),  a  first-rate  man  or  horse  or  article. 


RIP— RON  223 

Ripping,  excellent,  very  good. 

Bipsuorter  (Am.),  a  tearing,  driving  fellow. 

Rise,  "to  take  a  rise  out  of"   one  is  to  hoax,  "cod"  or  play 

tricks  on  him. 
Rive  (Old  Eng.),  to  tear  or  rend. 
Road,  a  common  v^roman.     See  Shakespeare,  King  Henry 

IV. 
Roarer,  a  broken-v^inded  horse. 

Roaring  game,  the  Scotch  game  of  curling,  played  v^rith 
stones  on  the  ice,  and  now  naturalized  in  Canada  and  the 
United  States. 

Roaring  trade,  a  successful  business. 

Roast,  to  quiz,  to  "cod"  or  "josh"  by  keeping  up  a  succession 
of  satirical  jokes.  In  newspaper  slang  an  exposure  or  un- 
favorable criticism. 

Rock  (Am.),  a  stone  of  any  size.     A  boy  heaves  a  rock  and 

breaks  a  window. 
Rockbottom,  the  lowest,  said  of  the  prices  of  goods. 
Rock-rooted,  said  of  the  Democratic  party,  fondly  by   its 

members,  in  derision  by  its  foes.     See  Mossbacks,  ante. 
Rocks  (Am.),  money. 

Rocky  (Am.),  shaky,  either  financially  or  physically. 
Roiled  (Am.),  disturbed,  muddy. 
Roll,  a  parcel  of  bank-bills. 
Roll  of  snow  (Gip.),  a  piece  of  linen. 
Rolling  the  duck,  sending  out  for  beer.     See  Rushing  the 

CAN  and  Rushing  the  growler. 
Rom  or  Romm  (Gip.),  a  man.   Romany,  the  Gipsy  people; 

also  applied  to  their  language. 
Bonyon  (Old),  a  term  of   contempt  applied  to  a  woman. 

See  Macbeth  /,  j. 


224  ROO— ROU 

Rook  (Old  Eng.),   a  cheat,   a  card   sharper.     See  Merry 

Wives  of  Windsor^  /,  j. 
Rook  (Eng.),  a  clergyman,  from  his  black  clothes. 
Book,  to  cheat  or  swindle. 
Booked,  cheated. 

Bookery,  a  low  neighborhood,  street  or  collection  of  houses. 
Booky,  rascally,  scampish. 

Boorback  (Am.),  a  false  allegation  issued  for  political  pur- 
poses. 
Boost,  a  resting-place,    "Going  to  roost,"  going  to  bed. 
Booster,  the  male  barnyard  fowl. 
Boot  of  all  evil,  money. 
Boot,  hog,  or  die  (Am.),  signifies  that  one  must  hustle  for 

a  living. 
Bope,  to  cause  a  horse  to  win  or  lose  a  race.     See  Pull. 
Bopein  (Am.),  to  swindle;  to  induce  one  to  enter  a  scheme 

in  which  he  will  be  cheated.     Shakespeare  uses  "ropery" 

for  roguery. 
Boper-in  (Am.),  a  "capper"  for  a  gambling  house  or  for 

any  other  swindle. 
Bopes,  "to  know  the,"  to  be  "up  to  snuff;"  to  know  the  way 

about;  familiarity  with  city  life  and  tricks. 

Bopingr,  pulling  or  otherwise  restraining  a  horse  in  a  race. 

Bose,  "under  the,"  quietly,  in  secret. 

Bot,  nonsense. 

Bot-gut  (Am.),  bad  whisky. 

Bough  and  tumble,  a  fight  in  which  all  rules  are  ignored. 

Bough  diamond,  a  man  whose  character  is  better  than  his 

appearance. 
Bough  it,  to  put  up  with  inferior  accommodations  or  food ; 

to  work  hard,  as  at  mining  in  the  Territories. 


ROU— RUB  225 

Bouglis,  rowdies,  vulgar  fellows. 

Bound,  to  inform,  to  split  or  tell  tales.  "Rounding,"  accord- 
ing to  Shakespeare,  is  whispering. 

Bound,  the  beat  or  usual  walk  of  a  traveling  peddler  or  beg- 
gar. 

Bounder  (Am.),  one  who  is  well  acquainted  with  the  town, 
especially  the  shady  side  of  it. 

Bound  Bobin,  a  petition  or  paper  of  remonstance  with  the 
signatures  written  in  a  circle. 

Bound  'un,  an  unblushing  and  well-rounded  He.  Otherwise 
known  as  a  Whopper  (^.  v.) 

Bound  up  (Am.),  the  periodical  collection  of  cattle  for  the 
purpose  of  branding. 

Boup  (Scotch),  an  auction. 

Boupy,  hoarse. 

Boust,  to  stir  up. 

Boustabout  (Am.),  a  dock  laborer  or  steamboat  hand. 

B01V,  a  noisy  disturbance  or  tumult. 

Bow^dy  (Am.),  a  street  loafer  and  thumper,  a  species  of 
blackguard  disagreeably  prevalent  in  large  cities.  Same  as 
the  Plug-Ugly,  Hoodlum,  Dead  rabbit  or  Larrikin 

Kowdy,  money. 

Bow  to  hoe,  "to  have   a   hard"  (Am.),  to   have   a  difficult 

task  to  perform.     Lowell  uses  the  expression  in  the  JSt^- 

lovi  Papers. 
Bub,  a  quarrel  or  impediment.     "There's  the  rub." 
Bubbedout  (Am.),  dead.     Similar  to  Wiped  out   (^.  v.") 
Bubber,  the  best  of  three  games  at  whist. 
Rubbers,  "those  that  play  at  bowls  will  meet  with  rubbers," 

a  warning  often  given,  and  taken  from  the  old  game   of 

bowls. 


226  RUB— RUN 

Bubbingr  it  in,  imposing  on  one  to  an  extraordinary  extent. 

Buck,  "in  the  ruck,"  in  the  last  end. 

Buck,  a  wrinkle  or  plait  in  cloth. 

Buction  (Irish),  a  fight  or  lively  row  of  the  Donny brook 
order.     A  Shindy  (j-.  v.) 

Bule  the  roast  or,  more  properly,  roost,  to  be  at  the  head 

of  affairs;  to  be  the  cock  of  the  walk,  as  the  cock  rules  the 
hen-roost. 

Bum  (Gip.),  queer,  peculiar,  as  a  "rum  old  chap;"  "that  is  a 
rum  (strange)  go." 

Bumbler  (Eng.),  a  four-wheeled  cab.  Formerly  the  cart 
in  which  criminals  were  taken  to  execution.  See  "The 
night  before  Larry  was  stretched." 

Bumbumptious,  pompous,  haughty. 

Bum-mill  (Am.),  a  saloon  or  groggery. 

Bumpus,  a  noise  or  disturbance. 

Bun,  said  of  a  play,  its  success  and  duration. 

Bun  (Am).,  to  contend  for  office  or  to  conduct  any  business. 

Bun,  to  tease. 

Bun,  on  a  bank,  when  there  is  a  heavy  demand  by  many  de- 
positors for  the  immediate  payment  of  their  claims. 

Bun,  to  comprehend  or  to  compass,  as  "I  can't  run  to  it.** 
Also  not  to  have  enough  money  to  "run"  to  the  expense 
asked. 

Bun,  "to  run  the  town,"  to  overawe  the  police  and  conduct 
matters  anyhow. 

Bun  for  the  money,  *'to  have,"  when  a  bet  is  made  condi- 
tioned on  the  horse  actually  starting. 

Bun-in,  arrested,  taken  to  the  police  station. 

Bun  Into  the  ^ound,  to  overdo  anything. 


RUN— RUS  337 

Bnimer  (Eng.),  for  bookmakers,  a  man  who  runs  from  place 
to  place  with  news  of  race  results  or  the  state  of  the  betting 
market,  now  practically  supplanted  by  the  telephone  and 
the  "ticker." 

Running  amuck,  from  the  Malay  amok;  a  common  prac- 
tice  among  the  Malays  when  maddened  by  bhangs  is  to 
arm  themselves  with  a  huge  knife  and  run  through  the 
streets,  cutting  and  slashing  indiscriminately. 

Bun  cue's  face,  to  obtain  credit  on  the  strength  of  one's  ap- 
pearance. 

Buut  (Am.),  the  smallest  pig  of  the  litter,  called  in  England 
the  "titman  pig."  Any  contemptible  or  miserable  crea- 
ture. 

Bush,  spirit,  energy,  vim. 

Bush,  to  come  suddenly  on  one.  To  give  a  man  the  rush  is 
to  spring  a  demand  for  money  on  him. 

Bushing  the  can  or  the  growler,  sending  to  the  saloon  for 
beer  with  a  can  or  pitcher. 

Bush  it  (Am.),  hurry  up. 

Bust,  "to  nab  the"  (Eng.),  to  take  offence. 

Bustle,  to  move  about  sharply ;  to  hustle. 

Bustler,  a  hustler. 


Sachem  (Am.),  an  Indian  chief. 

Sack,  "to  get  the,"  to  be  discharged  from  a  situation.  In 
Scotland  it  is  to  "get  the  bag."  To  "get  the  bullet"  is 
equivalent. 

Sad  (Am.),  heavy,  as  applied  to  bread. 

Sad  dog,  on  the  lucus  a  non  lucendo  principle,  is  applied  to 
a  merry  fellow;  a  gay  or  fast  man. 

Safe  (Eng.),  certain,  trusty. 

Safe  one,  a  horse  that  will  not  be  run  to  win  and  on  which 
the  bookmakers  feel  "safe." 

Sag  (Am.),  to  hang  down,  as  a  sagging  rope. 

Sagamore  (Am.),  an  Indian  chief  or  Sachem  (^.  v.) 

Sail  in  (Am.),  make  a  beginning. 

St.  Anthony's  pig,  "drunk  as."  In  some  old  paintings  the 
Saint,  who  was  the  friend  and  patron  of  animals,  is  repre- 
sented with  a  pig  at  his  heels,  but  tradition  is  silent  as  to 
any  misbehavior  on  the  part  of  Piggy. 

St.  Giles's  Greek,  slang;  the  cant  of  the  Seven  Dials. 

Saint  Monday  (Eng.),  a  holiday  often  taken  by  mechanics 
in  order  to  recover  from  the  fatigues  of  a  Sunday's  enjoy- 
ment. 

Saints  (Am.),  name  arrogated  to  themselves  by  the  Mor- 
mons. 

Sal,  salary.    Theatrical  slang. 

Salaam  (Hindu),  a  salutation  or  bow. 

Saloon  (Am.),  a  retail  beer  and  whisky  shop. 

aas 


SAL— SAN 


339 


Salt,  money. 

Salt  or  Old  Salt,  a  sailor. 

Salt  down,  to  put  away ;  to  bank  or  save  money. 

Saltee  (Lingua-Franca),  a  penny. 

Salt  Junk  or  Old  Horse  (Sea  term),  salt  beef. 

Salt  River,  "to  row  up"  (Am.),  the  fate  of  defeated  politi- 
cians and  political  parties. 

Salt,  "that  is  too,"  said  of  an  extortionate  bill. 

Salt,  "to  salt  a  mine,"  is  to  place  valuable  ore  in  a  mine  with 
a  view  to  deceiving  a  possible  purchaser. 

Salve  (Eng.),  flattery. 

Sam,  "to  stand  Sam"  (Am.),  to  stand  treat. 

Sambo  (Am.),  term  applied  to  male  negroes. 

Sammy  or  Simple  Sammy,  a  stupid  or  silly  fellow.* 

Samp  (Am.),  a  preparation  of  Indian  com. 

Sampan,  a  small  boat. 

Sample-room  (Am.),  a  retail  groggery. 

Sand  (Am.(,  grit,  courage. 

S.  and  B.  (Eng.),  soda  and  brandy. 

Sandbagr  (Am.),  a  weapon  used  by  highwaymen;  made 
with  sand  packed  in  a  cloth  bag. 

Sandba^gr^d  (Am.),  struck  with  a  sandbag.  Metaphoric- 
ally used  for  blackmailed. 

Sand-bagger  (Am.),  a  highwayman  who  stuns  his  victim 
by  a  blow  from  behind.     A  blackmailer. 

Sandhiller  (Am.),  a  native  of  South  Carolina. 

Sandwich  man  (Eng.),  one  who  travels  through  the  streets 
with  advertising  boards  strapped  in  front  and  behind  him. 
A  gentleman  with  a  lady  on  each  side  is  spoken  of  as  a 
sandwich. 

Sandy,  a  Scotchman;  abbreviation  of  Alexander, 


330  SAP— SCA 

Saphead,  a  stupid,  silly  person. 

Saratoga  (Am.),  a  lady's  trunk  of  huge  dimensions. 

Sardine,  an  old  sailor. 

Sark  (Scotch),  a  shirt. 

Sass  ^^Am.),  common  New   England   equivalent   for   sauce. 

Garden-sass  is  vegetables. 
Satin  (Eng.),  gin.     Otherwise  Tape  or  Ribbon. 
Sauce  (Eng.),  impertinence. 
Sauce  (Am.),  preserved  fruits  or  table  vegetables. 
Saucebox  (Eng.),  an  impertinent  person. 
Save  (Eng.),  to  give  part  of  one  bet  for  part  of  another;   a 

form  of  hedging. 
Saveloy  (Eng.),  a  sausage. 
Savey  or  Savvy,  a  corruption  of  the  Spanish  sabe^  to  know; 

much  used  on  the  Pacific  coast  and  in  India  and  China. 
Saw,  at  whist,  when  two  partners  alternately  trump  a  suit, 

played  by  each  to  the  other  for  the  special  purpose. 

Sawbones,  a  surgeon.     Sam  Weller  uses  the  expression  in 

Pickwick. 
Sawdust  (Am.),  money,  generally  counterfeit. 
Sawney,  a  Scotchman;  also  a  lout. 

Saw-ofF  (Am.),  a  deciding  toss  or  throw  of  the  dice  to  settle 
which  of  two  men  left  in  at  the  end  of  a  game  shall  settla 
the  full  score. 

Sawyer  (Am.),  a  tree  partially  submerged  in  a  river  and 
forming  a  danger  to  navigation.     See  also  Snag,  supra. 

Say  so,  "upon  my,"  a  very  mild  form  of  asseveration. 

Scab  (Eng.),  a  term  of  opprobrium  applied  to  non-union 

workmen. 
Scads  (Am.),  money. 


SCA— SCO  331 

Scalawag:  (Am.),  a  worthless  fellow;  a  bummer  and  black- 
guard. 

Scallops  or  Scollops,  "to  put  on,"  to  assume  an  air  of  im- 
portance  or  style ;  to  put  on  "side." 

Scalper  (Am.),  a  railroad  ticket  broker,  or  a  speculative  op- 
erator on  the  Board  of  Trade  or  Stock  Exchange,  who 
deals  in  small  lots  and  in  an  irregular  way. 

Scalp-lock  (Am.),  the  long  tuft  of  hair  worn  by  Indians. 

Scaly,  shabby,  mean. 

Scamp  (Old  Eng.),  a  rascal. 

Scamp,  properly  skimp,  to  give  short  measure;   to  slur  over 

one's  woric. 
Scandal  water,  tea. 

Scarce,  "to  make  oneself,"  to  be  off;  to  decamp. 
Scare  (Am.),  a  fight,  or  to  frighten.^ 
Scare  up  (Am.),  to  hunt  for;  to  find. 
Scarlet  fever  (Eng.),  the  sentiment  felt  by  young  women 

for  the  red-coated  military. 
Scarper,  from  the  Spanish  escarpar,  to  run  away,  to  escape. 
Scary  (Am.),  frightened,  timid. 
Schlager  (Ger.),  a  sword. 
Schnapps  (Ger.),  gin  or  other  spirits. 
Schnitzel  or  Snitz  (Ger.),  dried  fruit  cut  in  small  slices. 
Schofel  or  Shoftd,  bad  money. 
School,  a  gang  of  young  men  or  boys. 
Schooner  (Am.),  a  large  beer  glass. 

Scoop  (Am.),  in  newspaper  language  a  beat;    exclusive  in- 
formation. 
Scooped  (Am.), beaten. 
Sconce,  the  head. 


332  SCO— SCR 

Sconce  (Eng.),  to  fine. 

Scoot  (Am.),  to  run  away. 

Scorcher,  a  person  of  bad  temper  or  of  great  energy.  Also 
one  who  in  any  way  outdoes  the  rest;  a  superlative  with 
many  meanings. 

Score,  a  tavern  reckoning,  from  the  old  practice  of  scoring 
such  with  chalk  on  the  door.  To  settle  old  scores  is  to 
wipe  out  a  debt,  whether  it  be  of  money  or  vengeance. 

Score,  to  keep  count  or  tally,  as  scoring  a  base  ball  match. 

Scot,  a  quantity  of  anything;  a  lot  or  share. 

Scot,  temper  or  passion.  "What  a  scot  he  was  in."  De- 
rived from  the  supposed  irascible  temperament  of  the  North 
Briton. 

Scotch  fiddle  (the  Itch),  a  cutaneous  disease  somewhat  pre- 
valent north  of  the  Tweed.  See  God  bless  the  Dukb 
OF  Argyle. 

Scout,  a  college  valet  or  servant  at  Oxford.  At  Cambridge 
he  is  known  as  a  Gyp,  or  vulture. 

Scrag*  (Eng.),  the  neck,  and  to  hang  by  the  neck. 

Scragging,  hanging. 

Scran,  cold  meat  or  other  victuals.  "Bad  scran  to  you,"  is 
an  Irish  malediction. 

Scrap  (Am.),  a  fight,  or  to  fight. 

Scrape  (Eng.),  a  difficulty. 

Scrape,  a  shave. 

Scratch  (P.  R.),  an  imaginary  meeting  point  in  a  fight.  To 
**toe  the  scratch"  is  to  be  ready  for  the  fight. 

Scratch,  an  accidental  gain  at  billiards  or  at  any  other  game. 
"He  won  by  a  scratch;"  otherwise  by  a  Fluke  (^.  v.) 

Scratch,  to  strike  a  horse  out  of  a  race. 

Scratched,  struck  out. 


SCR— SEC  333 

Scratch  race  or  Scratch  crew,  a  race  without  restrictions 
or  a  crew  made  up  anyhow. 

Scrawny,  thin,  angular,  bony. 

Screamer,  a  bouncing,  lively  girl ;  a  tomboy. 

Screaming-,  first-rate,  splendid,  amusing. 

Screed  (Gld  Eng.),  a  written  paper  or  article. 

Screeve,  a  begging  petition. 

Screever  (Eng.),  a  pavement  chalker  who  draws  rude  pic- 
tures of  ships,  etc.,  on  the  sidewalk.  Also  a  writer  of  beg- 
ging letters. 

Screw  (Eng.),  a  worn  out  horse. 

Screw^,  salary,  wages. 

Screw  (Eng.),  a  miser,  a  mean  person. 

Screw,  a  small  package  of  tobacco. 

Screw,  a  key ;  also  the  turnkey  of  a  prison. 

Screw,  "to  put  on  the,"  to  limit  credit;    to  compel  or  coerce. 

Screwed,  drunk. 

Screw  loose,  "a,"  anything  wrong  or  ill-adjusted;  a  difference 
of  opinion. 

Screw  your  nut  (Am.),  go  away;    get  out.    See  Sling 

YOUR  HOOK,  supra. 
Scrimmage  (Irish),  a  row,  disturbance  or  free  fight. 
Scrouge  (Eng.),  to  punish  or  squeeze, 
Scrouged  (Eng.),  crowded. 
Scrub,  worthless. 
Scruff,  the  back  of  the  neck. 
Scrumptious,  handsome,  excellent. 

Sea.cook,  "son  of  a,"  an  opprobrious  phrase  used  by  sailors. 
Sea-dog,  an  old  sailor. 
Secesh,  a  corruption  of  secession.     The  Confederate  States 

were  sometimes  spoken  of  as  Secessia. 


834  SEC— SER 

Second  wind,  «to  get  one's"  to  rally  after  exertion,  as  in  a 

fight  or  a  race. 
See,  has  many  slang  meanings,  of  which  its  use  in  the  sense 

of  "know"  or  "believe,"  as  "I  can't  see  that,"  is  one.     It  is 

a  common  practice  of  the  street  hoodlum  to  conclude  his 

statement  with  this  word,  as  "I  was  going  to  the  saloon, 

see." 
See,  to  bribe ;  to  fix  or  "square"  a  man.     "Jones  has  been 

seen  and  is  all  right." 
See  a  man,  "to  go  out  to"  (Am.),  an  excuse  to  go  out  for  a 

drink,  the  man  being  supposedly  a  barkeeper. 

Seedy  (Eng.),  shabby,  worn-out,  poverty-stricken.  Also 
used  to  express  sickness. 

See  it  out,  to  stay  late  at  a  meeting  or  to  complete  an  under- 
taking. 

See  the  elephant  or  See  the  king  (Am.),  to  take  in  the 
sights;  to  do  the  town. 

See  you  later  (Am.),  a  phrase  of  recent  introduction  used 
instead  of  good-bye  as  a  parting  salute. 

Sell  (Eng.),  a  practical  joke;  a  sham  or  swindle.  "To  sell" 
is  to  swindle.  Shakespeare  uses  selling  in  the  sense  of  de- 
ceiving. 

Sell  out,  is  said  of  a  race  or  other  sporting  contest  which  is 
thrown  or  "crossed."  The  expression  is  also  used  when  a 
politician  or  a  political  party  goes  over  to  the  other  side, 
presumably  for  a  consideration. 

Send-occasionally  (Am.),  once  in  a  while. 
Sense-carrier  (Irish),  a  title  given  to  an  old  villager,  one  of 

the  kind  who  "know  it  all." 
Serape  (Sp.),  a  blanket  with  an  opening  in  the  middle  for 

the  head,  and  worn  as  a  cloak. 
Serene  (Eng.),  "all  serene,"  all  right;  a  phrase  taken  from 


S£R— SHA  3S5 

a  comic  song  and  used  when  first  introduced  on  all  occa- 
sions.   Now  it  is  seldom  heard. 

Serious  (Eng.),  religious. 

Serve  out,  to  punish. 

Serve  you  right,  a  word  of  comfort  given  to  a  man  who  has 
gotten  into  trouble  through  his  own  fault.  See  Ingoldsby^ 
A  Tale  of  Margate. 

Set-back,  a  discomfiture  or  defeat. 

Set  in  his  ways,  firm,  obstinate. 

Setter  (Eng.),  a  capper  or  mock  bidder  at  an  auction.  One 
who  "sets  in  a  game"  in  a  robbery.  Shakespeare  uses  it  in 
this  sense  in  1  King  Henry  I F,  act  ii^  sc.  ^,  where  Poins 
describes  Gadshill  as  their  setter. 

Settle,  to  kill,  ruin,  or  effectually  quiet  a  man. 

Settle,  to  pay.  Also  said  of  a  minister  permanently  engaged 
by  a  church,  which  "settles"  him,  or  of  a  person  who  takes 
up  a  residence  in  some  place  with  the  intention  of  remain- 
ing there. 

Settled,  paid,  discharged. 

Settled,  transported  or  sentenced  to  imprisonment  for  life. 

Settle  one's  hash,  to  finish  him ;  to  knock  him  out. 

Settler,  a  knock-down  blow;  anything  decisive;  an  unan- 
swerable argument. 

Set-to  (P.  R.),  a  fight  or  sparring  match.  To  make  a  Dead- 
set  at  one  is  to  oppose  him  in  a  determined  manner. 

Set  up  or  Set  them  up  (Am.),  to  pay  for  the  drinks. 

Seven-up  (Am.),  the  game  of  all  fours;  from  the  number  of 
points  that  have  to  be  made  to  win. 

Sewed  up,  done  up,  played  out,  intoxicated. 

Shabby-genteel  (Eng.),  aping  gentility  without  the  means 
to  present  a  good  appearance.  Thackeray  uses  the  phrase 
freely. 


236  SHA 

Shack,  a  vagabond;  a  blackguard. 

Shackly,  loose,  rickety. 

Shadbelly  coat  (Am.),  an  old-fashioned  garment  worn  by 

Quakers. 
Shadow,  to  watch;  also  as  a  noun,  the  fellow  who  does  the 

watching. 
Shady,  "to  keep,"  to  remain  in  the  background. 
Shady,  disreputable ;  inferior,  as  "a  shady  trick."     "On  the 

shady  side  of  forty"  means  that  one  has  passed  that  age. 
Shake,  a  disreputable  person ;  a  prostitute. 
Shake,  to  get  rid  of ;  to  cut.     To  give  one  the  "dirty  shake" 

is  to  throw  him  over. 
Shake,  a  fair  chance.     From   the  game  of  dice,  where  if 

the  box  is  shaken  fairly  each  player  has  an  equal  chance. 

Shake-down,  an  improvised  bed  on  the  floor. 

Shakes  (Am.),  the  ague. 

Shakes,  "no  great,"  not  much  good. 

Shakester  or  Schickster,  a  woman  of  doubtful  repute. 

Shake  the  elhow,  to  play  dice. 

Shaky,  timid,  uncertain ;  in  bad  condition  financially,  physi- 
cally or  mentally. 

Shaler,  a  girl. 

Shallow  cove  (Old  CantV  a  half  naked  beggar  who  trades 
on  his  appearance.  A  Shallow-mot  is  his  equally 
wretched  looking  female  companion. 

Shallows,  "to  go  on  the,"  to  go  about  ragged  and  half  naked 
in  order  to  excite  compassion. 

Sham,  corruption  of  champagne;  quite  often  a  perfectly  cor- 
rect characterization  of  the  supposed  vintage. 

Shamming  Abraham  (Old  Eng.),  to  feign  sickness  or  dis- 
tress.    See  Abrahawman,  ante. 


SHA— SHE  a37 

Shandrydan  (Irish),  an  old-fashioned  chaise. 
Shandygaff  (Eng.),  a  mixture   of  ale   and   ginger-beer;  a 

favorite  summer  drink. 
Shanghaied,  said  of  sailors  who  are  captured  by  the  crimps 

and  hustled  on  board  a  ship  when  drunk,  often  being  badly 

hurt  in  the  process. 

Shanks,  the  legs. 

Shank's  mare,  "to  ride,"  to  go  a-f  oot.     Otherwise  to  go  by 

Foot  and  Walker's  link. 
Shant,  a  quart.     "Shant  of  bivvy,"  a  quart  or  pot  of  beer. 
Shanty  (Sea  slang),  a  song. 
Shanty,  a  rude  house  or  hut. 

Shark,  a  sharper  or  swindler.     Sailor's  term  for  a  lawyer. 
Sharp  (Eng.),  punctual.     "Dinner  was  served  at  7  sharp." 
Sharper,  a  swindler. 
Sharp  stick,  to  be  after  one  with  a  sharp  stick  is  to  pursue 

him  revengefully. 
Shape,  "to  travel  on  one's;"  to  trade  on  one's  appearance. 
Shave,  a  false  alarm ;  to  hoax  or  sell. 
Shave,  a  narrow  escape. 
Shave,  a  discount  or  rebate  on  goods  purchased  or  on  a  note 

or  bill. 
Shave,  to  shave  a  customer  is  to  overcharge  him. 
Shaver,  a  sharp  fellow;  generally  applied  to  a  boy,  as  "Look 

alive,  young  shaver." 
Shaving-shop,  a  loan  or  discount  office. 
Shebang  (Irish),  a  house  or  other  building. 
Shebeen  (Irish),  a  place  where  unlicensed  liquor  is  sold. 

See  Shebang. 
Shed  a  tear,  to  take  a  drink.     Same  as  driving  a  "Nail  in 

one's  coffin." 


238  SHE— SHI 

Shedder  (Am.),  a  crab  which  has  recently  cast  its  shell;  a 

softshell  crab. 
Sheeny,  a  Jew.     The  origin  of  the  word  is  much  disputed. 
Slieep*s  eyes,  amorous  looks  cast  by  spoony  lovers. 
Sheepskin,  the  parchment  diploma  given  to  graduating  stu- 
dents. 
Shelf,  "on  the"  (Eng.),  said  of  old  maids  past  thirty  years  of 

age.     Also  of  anything  pawned  or  laid  by. 
Shell,  a  light  row-boat. 
Shell  (Am.),  to  hull  corn. 
Shell  game  (Am.),  a  swindling  game  played  with  walnut 

shells  and  a  pea,  analogous  to  thimble-rigging. 
Shell-out,  to  pay  up ;  to  count  out  money. 
Shellworker  (Am.),  one  who  works  the   Shell  gamb 

Iq.  T?.);  a  swindler  and  confidence  man. 
Shenanigan  (Irish),  cheating,  playing  tricks,  fooling. 
Shent  (Old  Eng.),  blamed,  rebuked.      See  Coriolanus^  v^  2. 

Shent  is  also  used  in  the  sense  of  hurt. 
Shepherd,  to  look  after;  to  watch. 
Shlce  (Hebrew),  nothing;   "to  work  for  shice,"  is  to  work 

gratis. 
Shicer,  a  mean  or  worthless  fellow. 
Shickery,  shabby,  bad. 
Shickster  (Heb.),  a  woman. 

Shiftless  (Am.),  worthless,  lazy;  having  no  business  instinct. 
Shigs,  money,  silver. 
Shilling  (Am.),  twenty-five  cents. 
Sliilling  shockers,  cheap  books  of  the  sensational  order  sold 

in  England  at  one  shilling  each. 
Shilly-shally  (Eng.),  to  fritter  away  time;  to  hesitate  or  be 

irresolute. 


SHI— SHO  239 

Shimmy  (Cockney),  a  chemise. 

Shin  (Am.),  to  walk;   "shinning  around,"  hustling,  moving 

about  briskly. 
Shindy,  a  row,  noise  or  disturbance. 
Shine,  a  noise  or  row.     Sometimes  "monkey  shines,"  applied 

to  larking  or  jocularity. 
Shine,  "to  cut  a,"  to  dress  well ;  to  "put  on  side." 
Shine,  "to  take  the  shine  out  of  one,"  to  surpass  or  excel  him. 
Shiners,  gold  coin,  and  particularly  English  sovereigns. 
Shines,  "cutting  up,"  joining  in  a  frolic  or  racket  of  any 

kind. 
Shine  up  to,  to  take  a  fancy  to;  to  go  courting  or  to  set  one's 

cap  for  a  person. 
Shingle  (Am.),  to  cut  one's  hair  short. 
Shingle   (Am.),   a  sign,  as  "The   Doctor    hung  out  his 

shingle." 

Shinny  (Am.),  a  game  played  with  sticks  and  a  ball,  some- 
times played  on  ice  and  by  a  large  party.  The  boys  are  di- 
vided into  sides  and  the  aim  is  to  knock  the  ball  into  the 
enemy's  camp.  "Shinny  on  your  own  side;"  an  expression 
used  in  the  game. 

Shinplaster  (Am.),  a  bank  note  or  bill. 

Shin-up  (Am.),  to  climb  a  tree  by  using  the  hands  and  feet 

only. 
Shiny,  dressy,  Spiff  (^.  v.) 
Ship-shape,   in   good   order.     Sometimes   "ship-shape  and 

Bristol  fashion." 
Ship's  husband  (Sea  term),  a  purser. 
Shirty  (Eng.),  ill-tempered,  quarrelsome. 
Shiver  my  timbers,  a  sailor's  ejaculation. 
Shoat  or  Shote  (Old  Eng.),  a  hog. 


240  SHO 

Shoddy,  an  inferior  kind   of  cloth,   made   from   old   stuff 

worked  over. 
Shoddy  (Am.),  anything  at  once  pretentious  and  inferior. 
Shoddyocracy  (Am.),  people   who   have  become   rich   by 

making  contracts  for  shoddy  goods  or  in  any  other  disrep- 
utable way  ;  the  parvenu  rich. 
Shoe  (Eng.),  to  initiate  a  person;   to  make  him  free  of  his 

trade.     Equivalent  to  ''paying  one's  footing." 
Shoe  leather  (Eng.),  warning  given  by  a  thief  to  his  "pal," 

meaning,  of  course,  to  make  use  of  his  legs. 
Shoes,  "to  die  in  one's,"  to  be  hanged. 
Shoful  (Eng.),  a  hansom  cab. 
Shoful  (Heb.),  bad  money  or  imitation   jewelry;    anything 

inferior. 
Shotul  pitcher,  one  who  passes  bad  money. 
Shoful  pullet,  a  girl  of  doubtful  reputation. 
Shool,  to  saunter  idly  about.     See  Roderick  Randon. 
Sho^  (Old  Eng.),  to  walk  or  move  away.     "Shog  along." 
Shool  (Heb.),  a  synagogue. 
Shoot  or  Shute  (properly  cAuie)^  a  passageway  by  which 

logs  are  shot  down  the  hill  sides. 
Shooting-iron  (Am.),  a  revolver  or  gun  of  any  kind. 
Shooting-stick  (Am.),  an  article  used  by  printers  to  tighten 

the  quoins  which  lock  up  a  form. 
Shoot  the  cat,  to  vomit. 
Shoot  the  hat  (Am.),  a  street  call  directing  the  hearer  to  get 

rid  of  an  objectionable  tile. 
Shoot  the  moon  (Eng.),  to  remove  one's  household  goods 

between  two  days  for  the  purpose  of  evading  the  payment 

of  rent. 
Shop  (Eng.),  a  "place"  in   a   race;    first,  second   or  third. 

Sometimes  called  a  "situation." 


SHO  241 

Shop,  a  house,  office  or  abiding-place  of  any  kind.  "How 
are  they  all  at  the  shop.  ?" 

Shop,  to  discharge  a  person.  In  the  English  army  to  "shop" 
an  officer  is  to  place  him  under  arrest. 

Shop-lifter,  a  thief  who  steals  articles  from  the  counters  of 
stores.     Shakespeare  uses  "lifter"  for  thief. 

Shop,  "to  talk"  (Eng.),  to  be  full  of  nothing  but  one's  call- 
ing or  profession,  as  a  doctor  talks  of  medicine  or  a 
farmer  of  his  crops. 

Short,  hard  up,  out  of  money. 

Short,  on  the  Stock  Exchange,  having  sold  stock  which  one 
does  not  possess.  The  "shorts"  are  those  who  speculate  for 
a  fall. 

Short-commons,  short  allowance  of  food. 

Short-hair  (Am.),  descriptive  term  for  low-grade  politicians 
and  ward  bummers.  The  Democratic  party  in  the  cities  is 
divided  into  "swallow-tails"  and  "short  hairs" — well-dressed 
men  and  toughs. 

Short  metre  (New  Eng.),  directly,  in  short  order.  See  the 
Biglo-w  Papers* 

Shorts,  breeches. 
Shot,  money. 

Shot  (Old  Eng.),  the  reckoning  at  an  inn.  See  Two  Gen- 
tlemen of  Verona  ii^  5. 

Shot  in  the  locker  (  Sea  term),  money  in  the  treasury. 
Shot  in  the  neck  (Eng.),  intoxicated. 
Shoulder-hitter,  a  bully  or  pugilist;  a  "slugger." 
Shout  (Am.),  to  pay  for  drinks  round.     "It's  my  shout.** 
Shove,  to  pawn.     Also  to  pass  counterfeit  money;  to  "shove 
the  queer." 


242  SHO— SHY 

ShoTe»"half]peiuiy  (Eng.),  a    gambling    game    played    by 

pushing  coins  along  a  table,  the   aim  being  to  get  them 

near  to  certain  lines. 
Shovel,  a  peculiar  hat  worn  by  dignitaries  of  the  Church  of 

England. 
Show  (Am.),  "give  him  a  show,"  give  him  a  chance.    "I 

had  no  show  to  win." 
Show  off,  to  make  a  display. 
Show  up,  to  appear. 
Shrieking  sisterhood,  the  army  of  female  suffragists  and 

woman's  rights  women. 
Shrimp,  a  diminutive  person ;  a  small  boy. 
Shtumer,  a  horse  which  it  is  known  will  not  be  run  to  win. 

See  Stiff  'un. 

Shuck  (Am.),  the  outer  covering  or  husk,  as  of  a  walnut  or 
an  ear  of  corn.     To  shuck  corn  is  to  strip  off  the  husks. 

Shucks,  "not  worth"  (Am.),  worthless;  of  no  value. 
Shunt  (Eng.),  to  avoid;  to  turn  aside.     Railroad  cars  which 
are  "switched"  in  this  country  are  "shunted"  in  England. 

Shut  of,  "to  get,"  to  get  rid  of. 

Shut  up,  be  quiet;  stop.  The  phrase  also  means  exhausted, 
done  for. 

Shy  (Eng.),  a  throw;  to  throw.  A  cockshy  is  a  game 
played  at  fairs,  when  sticks  are  thrown  at  articles  set  upon 
other  sticks  a  few  feet  away,  the  striker  sometimes  getting 
what  he  hits. 

Shy  (Eng.),  to  stop  suddenly  or  swerve  to  one  side,  as  a 
horse  does  when  frightened. 

Shy,  "to  fight  shy,"  to  keep  away  from  a  person,  to  avoid 

him. 
Shyster  (Am.),  a  low-class  lawyer  who  touts  openly  for  bus- 


SIC— SIM  243 

iness  and  who  undertakes  shady  cases  ana  every  trick  of 
the  law;  a  pettifogger. 

Sick  (Am.),  afflicted  with  disease.  In  England  a  person 
afflicted  is  "ill,"  and  "sick"  is  only  applied  to  express  sick- 
ness of  the  stomach  or  nausea. 

Sick  as  a  horse,  or  as  a  dog  or  a  cat;  popular  similes,  curi- 
ously misplaced  in  the  first  instance  as  horses  never  vomit. 

Sickener,  a  dose  too  much  of  anything. 

Sicker  (Scotch),  sure,  certain. 

Side,  "to  put  on,"  to  put  on  style.  "Too  much  dog,"  means 
the  same  thing. 

Side,  a  Gipsy  equivalent  for  "yes,"  probably  from  the  Span- 
ish si. 

Side-wheeler  (Am.),  a  pacing  horse. 

Siege,  "had  a  siege  of  it,"  a  hard  time;  a  long  sickness 

Sight,  a  great  many ;  *'a  sight  of  people. 

Sight,  "to  take  a"  (Eng.),  to  place  the  thumb  to  the  nose 
and  spread  the  fingers  out. 

"The  Sacristan,  he  said  no  word  to  indicate  a  doubt. 
Bat  he  put  his  thumb  up  to  his  nose 
And  he  spread  his  fingers  out." 

— Ingoldsby  Legends. 

Silk  stockings  (Am.),  the  moneyed  class,  commonly  accred- 
ited with  wearing  silken  hose.  Applied  to  a  section  of  the 
Democratic  party.     See  Short  hairs,  ante. 

Silver  Grays  (Am.),  a  name  applied  to  a  branch  of  the  Whig 
party  some  forty  years  ago.  A  convention  was  held  at 
which  Francis  Granger  presided  and  as  the  chairman  and 
many  of  the  delegates  were  advanced  in  years  it  was 
called  the  "Silver  Gray"  convention. 

Silver  wedding  (Am).,  the  twenty-fifth  anniversary  of  a 
wedding,  often  celebrated  with  much  pomp. 

Simon,  an  English  sixpence. 


344 


SIM— SIX 


Simon  Pure,  the  genuine  article,  from  a  character  in  the  old 
comedy  of  A  Bold  Stroke  for  a  Wife. 

Simpson  (Eng.),  water  used  in  place  of  milk;  applied  also 
to  the  milk  dealer  himself. 

Sinews  of  war  (Eng.),  money,  funds. 

Singed  cat,  "like  a,"  better  than  he  looks,  said  of  a  person 
whose  appearance  does  him  injustice. 

Sing  out,  to  call  aloud. 

Singr  small,  to  lessen  one's  boasting. 

Singsong*  (Eng.),  a  harmonic  meeting  at  a  public  house;  a 
*'free  and  easy." 

Sink  (Fr.  cinq')  a  throw  of  five  at  dice. 

Sink-boat  (Am.),  a  boat  used  for  duck  shooting.  See 
Battery,  ante. 

Sinkhole  (Am.),  a  depression  or  hole  in  limestone  forma- 
tion in  which  streams  sink  and  are  lost. 

Sinkers,  bad  money. 

Sinkers,  doughnuts. 

Sirree;  "Yes,  sirree.  Bob,"  a  vulgar  emphasizing  of  an  af- 
firmation. 

Siserara,  a  hard  blow.     See  Vicar  of  Wakeffeld. 

Sit  under,  to  regularly  attend  the  ministrations  of  a  preacher. 

Sit-upons,  trousers. 

Siwy,  a  corruption  of  asseveration;  "upon  my  sivvy,"  upon 
my  word. 

Sixes  and  sevens,  "all  at,"  all  in  confusion. 

Six-shooter,  a  revolver  of  six  chambers. 

Sixty,  "like  sixty,"  at  a  rapid  rate,  briskly. 

Sixty  per  cent,  a  bill  discounter. 

Sixwatergrog  (Sea  term),  very  thin  of  the  rum  and  very 
strong  of  the  water. 


SIZ— SKI  245 

Sizz,  to  make  a  hissing  sound,  as  to  sizzle. 

Skates,  "got  them  on,"  said  of  a  man  when  drunk. 

Skedaddle,  to  run  away,  now  a  common  Americanism  and 
claimed  to  have  originated  in  the  Civil  War.  As  a  matter 
of  fact  the  word  has  been  in  use  in  the  West  of  Scotland 
for  many  years,  and  is  used  there  and  in  Lancashire,  Eng- 
land, in  the  sense  of  to  spill  or  to  scatter,  as  to  skedaddle  the 
milk. 

Skeery  (Am.),  scary,  frightened. 
Skeezicks  (Am.),  a  paltry  little  fellow. 
Skid,  a  contrivance  placed  before  a  wagon  wheel  to  prevent 
it  going  too  fast  down  hill.    Otherwise  a  Drag  or  Shoe. 

Skid  or  Skiv,  an  English  sovereign. 

Skid,  a  slide  used  for  loading  barrels  or  heavy  goods  or  for 
moving  timber. 

Skied  (Eng.),  when  pictures  exhibited  publicly  are  hung 
near  the  ceiling  they  are  said  to  be  "skied."  If  hung  too 
low  they  are  "floored."  The  most  desirable  position  is  *'on 
the  line"  of  sight. 

Skillag-alee  (Irish),  thin  gruel. 

Skilly  (Eng.),  workhouse  or  prison  gruel. 

Skimping  or  Skimpy,  scant. 

Skin  (Am.),  to  get  the  best  of;  to  get  all  that  one  has. 

Skin  (Am.),  a  purse  or  pocketbook.     See  Leather,  ante. 

Skin,  to  use  a  "crib"  or  "pony"  in  order  to  pass  an  examina- 

tion. 
Skinflint  (Eng.),  a  mean,  stingy  person.     It  is  said  of  such 

a  one  that  he  would  "skin  a  flint  for  a  penny  and  spoil  a 

shilling  knife." 

Skin  game  (Eng.),  a  crooked  game  at  cards;  to  swindle. 
Skiuk  (Old  Eng.),  to  drink. 


246  SKI— SKY 

Skinker  (Old  Eng.),  a  tavern  waiter.  See  I  King  Henry 
IV,  u,  4. 

Skinning- the  lamb  (Eng.),  when  an  outsider  wins  a  race 
bookmakers  are  said  to  "skin  the  lamb,"  as  they  have  in  all 
probability  laid  very  little  against  the  winner.  The  term 
is  also  used  on  the  Stock  Exchange. 

Skin  your  own  skunk  (Am.),  do  your  own  dirty  work. 

Skip,  get  out,  run  away. 

Skip  or  Skep  (Scotch),  the  captain  of  a  side  in  the  game  of 
curling. 

Skipper  (Sea),  the  master  or  captain  of  a  merchant  vessel. 

Skipper,  a  cheese-mite. 

Skit,  a  joke,  squib  ox  jeu  d* esprit. 

Skive  (Am.), to  pare  leather  or  skin  so  as  to  leave  a  bevelled 
edge. 

Skivings  (Am.),  waste  pieces  of  leather. 

Skullduggery  (  Am.),  dirty,  mean  actions ;  conspiracy  c«-  plot- 
ting. 

Skunk  (Am.),  an  objectionable  person;  one  of  bad  charac- 
ter. 

Skunked  (Am.),  signifies  beaten  out  of  sight;  Distanced 
or  Chicagoed  (^.  v.)  At  cards  and  other  games  the 
player  who  fails  to  reach  a  certain  point  in  the  game  is 
skunked.  Thus,  at  cribbage,  if  he  fails  to  turn  the  last  row 
he  is  in  this  predicament. 

Sky  (Eng.),  to  throw  up  in  the  air,  as  with  pennies  in  toss- 
ing. 

Sky-blue  (Eng.),  milk  diluted  with  water. 

Skylarking  (Sea),  playing  tricks  or  rough  games  as  sailors 
do  on  board  ship. 

Sky-parlor  (Eng.),  an  attic  or  garret. 

Sky-pilot,  a  navy  chaplain  or  other  minister. 


SKY— SLA  247 

Skyscraper  (Am.),  a  very  tall  building  such  as  are  now  be- 
ing built  in  Chicago. 

Slab,  thick,  as  gruel,  porridge,  etc.  Shakespeare  uses  the 
word  in  Macbeth. 

Slab-sided  (Am.),  applied  to  men  or  women  of  angular  ap- 
pearance. 

Slack  or  Sleek  (Eng.),  small  coal. 

Slack  (Am.),  lazy,  shiftless. 

Slack  baked,  stupid,  deficient'in  character. 

Slack,  "too  much  slack,"  too  much  talk. 

Slam,  to  stnke  or  push  violently,  as  "slamming  the  door." 

Slam,  at  whist  ^  when  two  partners  take  the  whole  thirteen 
tricks,  thus  constituting  a  slam,  it  is  counted  to  them  as  a 
rubber. 

Slang-,  a  traveling  show. 

Slangr,  a  watch  chain. 

Slang,  the  language  which,  though  unrecognized  in  diction- 
aries, is  in  common  daily  use  not  only  among  the  vulgar  but 
in  every  branch  of  life.  Originally  slang  meant  the  secret 
language  of  the  English  Gipsies  and  was  synonymous  with 
Gibberish  (^.  v.^  Later  it  came  to  express  all  vulgar 
language  not  included  as  Cant.  It  is  sometimes  termed 
Flash,  and  the  French  equivalent  is  argot. 

Slang-whanger,  (Am.),  a  long-winded  speaker. 
Slangry,  loud,  flash,  vulgar. 
Slant,  a  side-blow. 
Slantindicular,  oblique,  awry. 
Slap  (Eng.),  euphemism  for  rogue. 

Slap,  exactly.    "Slap  in  the  wind's  eye,"  exactly  to  wind- 
ward. "'' 
Slap-bang*,  suddenly,  violently. 


248  SLA— SLI 

Slap-dash,  immediately,  in  great  haste;  with  more  force 
than  necessary. 

Slap-up,  first-rate,  excellent;  the  ne  flus  ultra  of  style. 

Slasher,  a  clever  fighter;  a  roaring  blade. 

Slashes  (Am.),  swampy  or  wet  grounds  overgrown  with 
bushes.  Henry  Clay  was  known  as  "the  Mill-boy  of  the 
Slashes." 

Slate  (Am.),  in  politics,  a  programme  or  list  of  appoint- 
ments. 

Slate  (Eng.),  to  abuse  or  "cut  up"  in  the  newspapers  or  re- 
views. 

Slated  (Am.),  placed  on  a  list,  as  one  who  is  slated  for  a 
specified  position. 

Slate  loose  (Eng.);  see  Tile  loose,  off  one's  head,  crazy. 

Slate,  **put  it  on  the"  (Eng.),  to  give  credit.  Equivalent  to 
Chalk  it  up  or  Put  it  on  ice  or  Hang  it  up  (^.  z>.) 

Slathers  (Irish),  a  large  quantity;  equivalent  to   Lashins 

Slats,  narrow  pieces  of  board  or  timber,  as  the  slats  of  a  lad- 
der or  of  a  wagon  or  cart,  or  of  a  wooden  bedstead. 

Slaughter  in  the  pan  (Am.),  a  steak  order  at  a  cheap  res- 
taurant. 

Slavey  (Eng.),  a  maid  servant. 

Sleeper  (Am.),  a  railroad  car  fitted  up  for  the  sleeping  accom- 
odations of  the  passengers. 

Sleepers  (Am.),  drunken  men  in  the  gutters.  "Laying  for 
sleepers  or  for  "plain  drunks,"  is  the  occupation  of  street 
thieves. 

Sleuth  (Am.),  a  detective  or  professional  thief -catcher. 

Slewed  (Sea  term),  drunk,  intoxicated.  "Three  sheets  in 
the  wind,"  or  "half  seas  over." 

Slick*  from  sleek,  unctuous,  smooth. 


SLI— SLU  349 

Slide,  "let  it  slide,"  for  let  it  pass.  Shakespea'-e  has  "Let  the 
world  slide."     See  "  Taming  of  the  Shrewd"* 

Sling  your  hook  (Eng.),  get  away.  Otherwise  "hook  it." 
American  equivalents  are  "skip."  "dig  out"  and  "vamose*" 

Slip,  "to  give  the  slip,"  to  run  away  or  to  elude  pursuit. 

Slippingr  (Eng.),  a  card-sharping  trick  by  which  a  desired 
card  is  produced  from  the  deck.  It  is  the  faire  sauter  la 
coupe  of  the  French  and  is  a  favorite  trick  with  crooked 
ecarte  players. 

Slips,  the  side  galleries  in  a  theatre. 

Slip  up,  to  fail  in  any  undertaking. 

Slobber  or  Slubber,  to  slop  over;  to  make  a  great  fuss  over 
one. 

Slogr  (P.  R.),  to  fight  or  beat.  Applied  to  pugilists,  who  are 
known  as  good  sloggers. 

Slogrgring  (P.  R.),  fighting. 

Slop,  to  gush,  to  slop  over. 

Slop  (Eng.),  back  slang  for  police;  now  in  general  use. 

Slop,  cheap  ready-made  work,  such  as  clothing. 

Slope,  to  abscond  or  run  away ;  otherwise  to  "mizzle." 

Slops,  light  food  for  invalids  or  any  weak  beverage. 

Slop-sbop,  a  ready  made  tailor's  shop,  where  the  goods  are  of 
an  inferior  quality. 

Slouch  (Am.),  of  no  account;  generally  used  with  the  neg- 
ative, as  "he  is  no  slouch." 

Slour  (Eng.),  to  lock  up  or  fasten. 

Slowcoach  (Eng.),  a  lumbering,  dull  person. 

Slowed,  locked  up,  imprisoned. 

Slubberdegulllon,  a  term  of  contempt.     See  Hudibras, 

Slug,  to  strike.     See  Slog,  ante. 

Slugger,  a  prizefighter  or  bully. 


250  SLU— SMI 

Slum  (Thieves  Cant),  a  letter. 
Slum,  to  hide. 

Slumgullion  (Old  Eng.),  a  term  of  derision. 
Slumming  (Eng.),  visiting  the  poor  in  their  homes  from 
curiosity  or  a  desire  to  give  them  assistance. 

Slung'-shot  or  Sling-shot  (Am.),  a  weapon  of  offense  made 
by  placing  a  stone  or  piece  of  lead  in  a  bag.  See  Sand- 
bag, ante. 

Slush  (Am.),  newspaper  term  for  reporter's  copy. 
Slushy,  a  ship's  cook. 

Smack,  smooth.     See  Ten  Thousand  a  Year. 
Small  beer,  "he  doesn't  think  small  beer  of  himself,"  means 
that  a  man  has  a  high  sense  of  his  own  importance. 

Small  hours,  the  early  hours  after  midnight.  What  Burns 
speaks  of  as  "The  wee  short  hours  ayont  the  twal." 

Small  potatoes  (Am.),  a  term  of  contempt. 

Smalls,  Oxford  University  term  for  the  first  or  minor  exam- 
ination of  students.  At  Cambridge  the  corresponding 
term  is  Little  go  (^.  vJ^ 

Smart,  in  this  country  means  active,  intelligent  or  quick.  In 
England  it  means  dressy. 

Smart  chance  (Am.),  a  good  opportunity. 
Smash  (Eng.),  to  become  bankrupt;  "to  go  all  to  smash," 
same  as  "to  go  to  the  dogs." 

Smasher  (Eng.),  a  maker  or  passer  of  counterfeit  money. 
Smear-case  (Dutch),  soft  cheese  made  from  sour  milk. 
Smeller  (P.  R.),  the  nose;  a  punch  on  the  smeller  is  a  blow 

on  the  nose. 
Smile,  a  drink  or  to  drink. 
Smish  or  Mish  (Gip.),  a  shirt  or  chemise. 


SMI—SNA  251 

Smithereens,  «all  to,"  all  to  smash.     Smither  is  an  English 
provincialism  for  a  fragment. 

Smock  (Old  Eng.),  a  woman's  undergarment;    See  Shakes- 
peare. 

Smockfaced  (Eng.),  white  faced,  delicate. 
Smoke,  a  Cant  term  for  London.     Going  into  the  country 
is  "going  out  of  the  smoke." 

Smoke  (Old  Eng.),  to  detect  an  artifice,  in  other  words  "to 
tumble  to  the  racket." 

Smoke-stack  (Am.),  the  funnel  of  a  steamer. 
Smoke-wa^on  (Am.),  a  revolver.     The  word  is  used  by  the 
negroes  of  the  Chicago  levee. 

Smouch,  to  take  advantage  of. 
Smudge,  to  smear  or  daub. 

Smudge  (Am.),  smoke  from  a  fire  made  of  damp  combusti- 
bles and  intended  to  drive  away  insects. 

Smugr  (Eng.),  neat,  smooth. 

Smuggins  (Cockney  schoolboy),  snatching  or  purloining 
marbles,  tops  or  other  toys. 

Smut  (Eng.),  indecent  conversation. 

Snack  (Gip,),  a  share  or  division.     Also  a  light  meal  or 

lunch. 
Snack,  to  quiz  or  chaff;  an  innuendo. 
Snacks,  «to  go,"  to  go  halves. 
Snaffle  (Eng.),  talk   on  private  or    professional   subjects; 

equivalent  to  "talking  shop." 
Snaffled,  arrested. 

Snaggle-teeth,  irregular  and  uneven  teeth* 
Snaggling,  angling  with  a  pin  or  hook. 
Snaggy,  ill-tempered,  cross. 


252  SNA— SNE 

Snags  and  Sawyers  (Am.),  are  obstructions  to  the  naviga- 
tion of  rivers  caused  by  trees  having  their  roats  fastened  to 
the  bottom  or  by  large  branches  of  submerged  trees.  Very 
common  in  the  Mississippi. 

Snagr»  "struck  a"  (Am.),  run  against  an  obstruction.  See 
preceding  definition. 

Snake,  to  follovir  in  an  underhand   way;    to  crawl   like   a 

snake. 
Snake,  to  steal  or  carry  off;  probably  a  corruption  of  Sneak 

{g.  V.) 
Snakes,  "to  see"  (Am.),  to  have  the  horrors,  as  in  delirium 

tremens. 
Snakes,  «to  wake"  (Am.),  to  get  oneself  into  trouble. 
Snake-bead  (Am.),  an  upturned  broken  rail  on  a  railroad 

which  may  pierce  through  the  bottom  of  a  car  and  cause  a 

disaster. 
Snake  in,  to  take  in ;  to  draw  in. 
Snake  out  (Am.),  to  drag  or  haul  out,  as  stumps  of  trees  are 

dragged  out  by  horse-power. 
Snap  (Am.),  a  spell  of  weather,  as  "a  cold  snap." 
Snap  (Am.),  energy,  smartness. 
Snap,  rapid,  off-hand. 

Snap  (Am.),  anything  good.     A  "soft  snap"  is  an  easy  job. 
Snapps  (Dutch  schnapps)^  spirits. 
Snaps  (Old  Eng.),  share  or  portion. 
Snarl,  a  tangle  or  contest. 

Snarl,  a  number  or  quantity,  as  a  snarl  of  children. 
Sneak,  ''Get  a  sneak  on  you,"  move  on,  get  away 
Sneak,  to  steal  or  carry  off. 
Sneakman  (Eng.),  a  shoplifter  or  petty  thief. 
Sneap,  an  insult  or  affront.     Shakespeare  has  it» 


SNE— SNI  253 

Sneck  (Scotch)  the  latch  of  a  door. 

Sneezed  at,  "not  to  be,"  not  to  be  despised. 

Sneezc-lurker  (Eng.),  a  thief  who  throws  snuff  or  red  pep- 
per into  the  eyes  of  a  pedestrian  and  then  robs  him. 

Sneezer  (Eng.),  a  snuff  box. 

Snell-fencer  (Eng.),  an  itinerant  peddler  of  needles,  which 
are  known  as  "snells." 

Snicker,  a  drinking  cup. 

Snickersnee  (Sea  slang),  a  knife.  See  Thackeray's  Ballad 
of  I^ittle  Billee. 

Snide,  spurious,  inferior.  Said  of  flash  jewelry  or  of  flash 
men.     Used  as  a  noun  also,  as  "He's  a  snide." 

Snide-pitcher,  a  cheat  or  passer  of  bad  money. 

Snifter  (Am.),  a  drink  of  liquor. 

Snigger,  to  sneer. 

Sniggering"  (Eng.),  laughing  to  oneself. 

Snip  (Eng.),  a  tailor. 

Snipe,  an  impertinent  boy. 

Snipe,  in  Stock  exchange  slang,  a  curbstone  broker. 

Snipe,  applied  to  a  tailor's  bill,  from  its  extreme  length. 

Snipe,  to  steal. 

Snipe,  the  butt  of  a  cigar. 

Snipe-hunting,  going  round  the  streets  looking  for  cigar 
ends. 

Snippy,  an  insignificant,  but  self-assertive  person;  as  applied 
to  personal  appearance,  a  sharp-visaged  small  woman. 

Snitch,  to  give  information  to  the  police;  to  turn  informer. 
Byron  uses  it  in  Don  yuan, 

Snitchers,  informers. 
Snitchers  (Scotch),  handcuffs. 


254  SNO— SOB 

Snob  (Eng.),  a  low  and  vulgar  person;  one  who  pretends  to 
be  what  he  is  not  and  who  apes  the  manners  of  those  above 
him  in  social  position.  For  a  full  definition  of  the  genus 
in  all  its  varieties  see  Thackeray's  Book  of  Snobs. 

Snobbish,  stuck  up,  proud;    having  the  characteristics  of  a 

Snob,  ante. 
Snooks  (corruption  of  Snacks)  "to  go  snooks,"  to  go  halves. 
Snoop,  "to  snoop  around,"  to  go  around  in  an  inquisitive  and 

prying  style,  looking  into  petty  matters;  to  wander  around 

aimlessly. 
Snooser  or  Snoozer,  a  term  hardly  complimentary  applied 

to  a  man.     "He  is  a  queer  old  snoozer." 
Snooze  (Eng.),  to  sleep  or  doze. 
Snorter,  a  drink  of  liquor. 
Snorter,  a  blow  on  the  nose. 

Snorter  (Am.),  a  wild  Westerner.    "A  rip-roaring  snorter." 
Snow  (Gip.),  wet  linen  hung  out  to  dry  and  available  for 

predatory  purposes  by  the  "snow-gatherer." 
Snuffed  out  (Eng.),  dead;  gone  out  like  the  flame  of  a  can- 
dle. 
Snuff,  "up  to"  (Eng.),  knowing  and  sharp. 
Snuffy,  out  of  temper. 
Snuffy,  partly  drunk. 
Snug-,  to  purloin. 
Snuggle,  to  lie  cosily  and  closely. 
Soak,  "an  old  soak,"  a  confirmed  drunkard. 
Soak,  to  pawn. 
Soap,  flattery. 
Soap,  money. 
Sober  as  a  judge,  may  be  considered   as  the  antithesis  of 

Drunk  as  a  loud. 


SOC— SOM  a55 

Sociable  (Am.),  a  church  festival. 

Sock  (Eng.J,  credit. 

Sockdollager  (Am.), a  heavy  blow;  a  finisher. 

Socket-money  (Eng.),  blackmail. 

Sock  it  to  him  (Am.),  give  him  a  good  thrashing. 

Soda.    See  Hock. 

Soft  (Am.),  bank  notes. 

Soft  (Eng.),  foolish,  green. 

Soft  money  (Am.),  paper  money. 

Soft-sawder  (Eng.),  flattery. 

Soft  snap  (Am.),  an  easy  and  well-paying  job. 

Soft  soap  (Eng.),  flattery,  blarney. 

Soft  tack,  sea  term  for  fresh  bread.     "Soft  Tommy"  is  the 

equivalent. 
Soft  tiling  (Am.),  an  easy  time. 
Softy  (Eng.),  a  foolish  or  stupid  person. 
Soiled  dove  (Eng.),  a  prostitute  or  kept  mistress.     So-called 

because  many  of  them  live  in  St.  John's  Wood,  London. 

Sojer   or   Soldier,  a   red    herring   or  bloater.      Otherwise 
known  as  a  "Billingsgate  Pheasant"  or  a  "two-eyed  steak." 

Sold,  gulled,  deceived. 

Soldier,  "to  soldier"  or  "sojer,"  is  to  dodge  one's  work. 
Sold  up  or  Sold  out  (Eng.),  bankrupt,  ruined. 
Solid,  responsible,  wealthy.     "Solid  men  of  Boston." 
So  longr,  an  Americanism  used  instead  of  good-bye.     "See 
you  later"  comes  under  the  same  category. 

Some,  is  used  in  the  United  States  for  somewhat  or  some- 
thing, as  "Jones  is  some  on  shooting." 

Some  pumpkins  (Am.)    (pronounced   punkins),   anything 
large.     The  antithesis  of  Small  potatoes,  ante. 


2S6  SOP— SOW 

Sop  (Eng.),  a  soft  or  foolish  man;  a  milksop. 

Sop,  bread  and  milk  or  other    nursery  food. 

Soph,  abbreviation  of  Sophomore,  college  term  for  a  student 
in  his  second  year. 

Sorehead,  a  disgruntled  politician. 

Sort,  "that's  your  sort,"  a  term  of  approbation  or  encourage- 
ment. 

So-so  (Eng.),  not  particularly  reputable;  off-color  as  to  char- 
acter. 

Sossle  or  Sozzle,  to  splash. 

Sot  (Am.),  the  past  participle  of  set.  "They  knew  the  mule 
was  dead  because  the  critters  eyes  were  sot." 

Sou,  the  French  five  centime  piece,  equivalent  to  an  Ameri- 
can cent. 

Sou  marquee,  "not  worth  a,"  of  no  value ;  not  worth  a  sou 
which  has  been  marked  or  crossed. 

Sound,  to  pump,  to  get  information  from. 

Sound  on  the  goose  (Am.),  of  orthodox  political  belief. 
Leland  has  an  amusing  story  (Hans  Breitman's  Ballads') 
of  a  Pennsylvania  politician  who  assHred  men  of  all  parties 
that  he  was  sound  on  the  goose  and  thus  escaped  more  defi- 
nite pledging. 

Souper,  a  contemptuous  term  applied  to  those  Irish  Catho- 
lics who  during  the  famine  conformed,  at  least  outwardly, 
to  Protestantism  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  the  soup  and 
other  food  provided  by  the  narrow  bigotry  of  the  age  for 
starving  people  of  the  Protestant  faith  only. 

Sou'wester  (Sea),  a  hat  with  a  projection  or  "fantail"  behind 
to  protect  tne  back  of  the  neck  during  dirty  weather. 

SoY,  contraction  for  an  English  sovereign  or  pound  sterling. 
Sow,  the  receptacle  into  which  molten  metal  is  poured  in  order 
to  make  "Pig-iron."  v 


SOW— SPE  a57 

Sowbelly  (Air.,),  the  soldier's  name  for  salt  pork,  which 

largely  consisted  of  back  and  belly  pieces. 
Sowingr  wild  oats,  dissipating,  having  one's  fling. 
Sow*s  baby,  sixpence. 

Space,  "to  work  on,"  to  write  by  the  line  or  column. 
Spalpeen  (Irish),  a  term  of  reproach,  but  used  half  jocularly 

and  sometimes  almost  as  a  term  of  endearment. 
Span  (Am.),  a  team  of  horses. 
Spanish  (Eng.),  money. 
Spanish,  "to  walk  Spanish,"  means  about  the  same  as  to  "toe 

the  line"  or  to  "come  up  to  the  mark." 

Spank,  a  slap  or  smack.     Also  used  as  a  verb. 
Spanker,  a  fast  traveler  or  a  rapid  goer  of  any  kind. 
Spanking,  large,   fine,  strong,   as    "A   spanking  pace  or 

breeze." 
Spark,  a  sweetheart   (male)   comp.    Flame,  the  female 

equivalent. 
Sparking  (Am.),  courting. 
Sparks,  diamonds. 
Spat  (Irish),  a  petty  quarrel,  a  slap. 
Spec,  short  for  speculation,  as  "he  bought  those  goods  on 

spec." 
Speckled  beauties,  trout;  generally  those  which  an  amateur 

fails  to  land. 
Specs,  spectacles. 
Speech,  in  turf  language  a  Tip  or  Wrinkle.     Equivalent 

to  being  Given  the  office. 
Speel,  to  run  away. 
Spell  (Am.),  a  turn  of  work.     To  "spell"  another  is  to  go  on 

with  the  work  while  he  rests. 
Spell,  to  advertise.     Also  to  desire  or  hanker  after. 


358  SPE— SPI 

Spellken,  a  theatre,  from  the  German  sfielen^  to  play,  and 
the  Gipsy  or  Cant,  ken^  a  house.  Often  abbreviated  to 
"spell." 

Spelling-bee  (Am.),  a  competition  in  spelling,  which  orig- 
inated in  the  rural  districts  of  New  England  and  has  been 
translated  to  Old  England,  where  for  a  time  it  became  a 
fad. 

Spelter,  money. 

Spick  and  Span,  new  and  fresh.     Butler  has  it  in  Hudibras. 

Spider  (Am.),  a  cooking  utensil. 

Spidereen  (Sea),  an  imaginary  ship.  A  sailor  when  asked 
what  ship  he  belongs  to  will  say  if  he  does  not  care  to  tell 
the  truth  "the  Spidereen  frigate  with  seven  decks  and  no 
bottom." 

Spiel  (Ger.),  play,  go-ahead. 

Spielken  (from  the  German),  a  play-house.  See  Spellkkn 
ante. 

Spier  (Scotch),  to  ask,  to  enquire. 

Spiff  (Eng.),  well-dressed,  swellish. 

Spiffed,  partly  drunk. 

Spifflicate,  to  confound,  silence  or  stifle.  Probably  it  was 
manufactured  from  the  last-named  word  and  from  suffo- 
cate, and  was  originally  "stiflicate." 

Spike  Park  (Eng.),  originally  the  Queen's  Bench  prison, 
and  now  applied  to  any  place  of  detention. 

Spiketail  (Am.),  a  dress  coat  or  Swallow  Tail  (^.  v.') 

Spill  (Am.),  to  upset. 

Spilt  Milk  (Eng.),  that  which  is  gone  beyond  recovery  and 
which  as  the  proverb  says  "it  is  no  use  crying  over." 

Spin  (Eng.),  to  reject.  A  man  is  "spun"  who  fails  to  pass 
his  army  examination.  College  equivalents  are  Ploughed 
and  Plucked  (^.  v.") 


SPI— SPO 


^59 


Spindle-Shanks  (Eng.),  a  man  with  long,  thin  legs. 

Spinuikcn  (Eng.)  the  workhouse. 

Spit,  "he  is  the  spit  of  his  brother,"  he  strongly  resembles 

him. 
Spitcurl  (Am.),  a  lock  of  hair  plastered  over  the  temple;  the 

feminine  equivalent  for  Newgate  Knockers,  see  ante. 
Spitfire  (Eng.),  a  passionate  virago. 
Spit  on  the  slate,  to  condone  or  wipe  out  offences  or  debts ; 

"spit  on  the  slate  and  call  it  square." 
Spitzbub,  a  German  term  of  derision. 
Splash,  "to  make  a  splash"  is  equivalent  to  "cutting  a  dash," 

or  to  living  at  an  expensive   rate  and  putting  on  plenty   of 

"side." 
Splendiferous  (Am.),  sumptuous,  first  rate.     Splendacious 

is  used  also ;  both  being  indefensible  from  any  standpoint. 
Spleuchan  (Scotch),  a  snuS  or  tobacco  box. 
Splice  (Sea),  to  marry,  to  bind  together  as  a  rope  is  spliced. 
Splice  the  main  brace,  alleged  sea-term  for  taking  a  drink. 

As  a  matter  of  fact  a  ship  has  no  main  brace. 
Split,  to  inform. 

Split,  a  quarrel  or  division,  as  a  split  in  a  political  party. 
Splurge  (Am.),  dash,  swagger.     To  make  a  splurge  is  also 

to  make  a  great  display. 
Spoiling  for  a  fight:  anxious  to  get  into  a  row.     Like   the 

Irishman  at  Donnybrook  Fair  who  asked  "Won't  somebody 

please  tread  on  the  tail  of  my  coat,"  or  his  compatriot  who 

complained  that  he  was  "blue-mouldy  for  want  of  a  beating." 

Spoils  system  (Am.),  that  under  which  the  successful  party 
at  an  election  fills  all  the  offices  with  men  of  its  own  polit- 
cal  faith;  a  system  erroneously  said  to  have  been  introduced 
into  American  politics  by  President  Jackson,  who  in  truth 
simply  bettered  the  instruction  given  by  some  of  his  pred- 


i6o  SPO— SPR 

ecessors.     The  doctrine  of  Vae  Victis  is  a  good  deal  older 

than  1832. 
Spoke  in  one's  wheel  "to  put  a,"  is  to  block   a  man's  game 

or   to  say  or  do  something  to  prevent  him  attaining   his 

object. 
Sponge,  or  Spunge,   to  live  upon  another  in  a  mean  and 

paltry  way. 
Sponger,  a  genteel  beggar. 
Sponge,  **to  throw  up  the,"  in  the  prize-ring  is  to  concede 

the  defeat  of  a  contestant,  which  was  symbolized  by  throwing 

the  sponge  used  for  his  benefit  up  in  the  air  as  a  sign  that  it 

was  no  longer  needed. 
Spook  (Dutch),  a  ghost  or  apparition. 
Spoon  (Eng.),  a  lover  in  the  worst  stage  of   the  complaint. 

Sometimes  there  are  a  "pair  of  spoons." 
Spooney,  stupid,  weak-minded,  foolishly  fond. 
Spoor,  the  trail  of  any  large  animal.     Originally  from  South 

Africa  and  applied  to  the  foot  mark  of  the  lion,  elephant, 

rhinoceros  or  other  "big  game." 
Sport,  (Am.),  a  gambler  or  betting  man.     In  England  a 

Sporting  Man. 
Sport,  (Eng.),  to  wear,  -'he  sported  a  new  tile." 
Sport  the  oak  (Eng.),  to  close  the  outer  door,  or  Oak. 
Spot,  to  mark,  to  recognize. 
Spotted,  known  or  marked. 
Spotter  (Am.),  a  private  detective,  male  or  female,  employed 

to  spy  on  and  report  the  shortcomings  of  employes  on  rail- 
roads etc. 
Spout,  to  preach. 

Spout,  up  the  (Eng.),  pawned.     Also  in  difficulties  or  dead. 
Spouter,  a  preacher  or  orator. 
Sprag  (Old  Eng.),  quick.     See  Merry  Wives  iVy  i. 


SPR— SQU  361 

Sprat,  an  English  sixpence. 

Sprat,  a  little  insignificant  boy. 

Spread,  a  meal.     Also  applied  by  schoolboys  to  butter. 

Spread,  "to   make   a,"    display.     To    spread   oneself  is  to 

attempt  to  excel. 
Spread  Eagle  (Am.),  flamboyant    rhetoric;    exaltation  of 

the  great  American  bird  and  the  land  of  freedom. 

Spree  (Eng.),  a  boisterous  piece  of  merriment,  a  frolic  ending 
in  a  drunk.     Probably  from  the  French  Esprit. 

Sprint,  a  short  foot  race.     A  spurt. 

Sprouts,  "a  course  of,"  treatment  of  a  rough  character,  dis- 
cipline. 
Sprung  (Eng.),  intoxicated. 
Spry  (Am.),  active,  quick. 
Spuds,  potatoes. 
Spun,  rejected  on  examination.     See  Spin  ante, 

Spungiug  house,  the  Sheriff's  officers  house  to  which  per- 
sons arrested  for  debt  were  temporarily  taken.  The  name 
referred  probably  to  the  extortionate  charges  made.  Ref- 
erences to  these  places  abound  in  Dickens,  Thackeray  and 
many  English  writers  of  the  eighteenth  and  nineteenth 
centuries. 

Spunk,  pluck,  spirit. 

Spunks,  lucifer  matches. 

Spunky,  plucky. 

Spurt  (Eng.),  an  effort  at  great  temporary  speed  in  a  race, 
made  in  order  to  obtain  a  lead  or  to  finish  in  front. 

Squab,  a  young  pigeon.     Also  a  short  sofa. 

Squabby,  flat,  short  and  thick. 

Square,  "on  the  square,"  honest,  straightforward.  The 
antithesis  of  "On  the  Cross."     Sometimes  emphasized  "On 

a 


263  SQU 

the  dead  square."     A  "square  man"  is  one  who  will   not 

"round"  on  you. 
Squared,  settled  with. 
Square  up,  to  pay,  to  settle  accounts.     To  be  square  with  a 

man  is  to  owe  him  nothing. 
Square,  "to  come  out;"  to  speak  out  without  qualification. 

Squaring  (Am.),  although  derived  from  the  word  which 
expresses  perfect  honesty,  is  one  of  those  words  which  have 
become  ill-sorted  and  have  fallen  from  grace.  To  "act 
square"  and  to  "do  the  square  thing"  are  right  and  proper 
but  when  a  man  is  "squared"  it  often  means  that  he  has 
been  "seen"  or  "made  right;"  that  is  that  he  has  accepted  a 
bribe  to  connive  at  some  illegal  or  immoral  action,  to  com- 
pound a  felony  or  as  blackmail. 

Squasb,  to  crush  or  squeeze. 

Squatter  (Am.),  one  who  settles  on  land  to  which  he  has  no 
title. 

Squatter  Sovereignty  (Am.),  the  right  of  actual  settlers  in 
territories  of  the  United  States  to  make  their  own  laws. 
The  phrase  was  much  used  by  Stephen  A.  Douglas  and  his 
followers  about  1856. 

Squaw  (Am.),  an  adult  female  Indian. 

Squaw-mau  (Am.),  a  white  man  married  to  an  Indian 
woman  and  sharing  tribal  rights  and  privileges. 

Squeak,  "a  narrow  squeak,"  an  escape. 

Squeak,  to  inform,  or  "peach." 

Squeal  (Am.),  to  inform  or  tell  tales. 

Squealer  (Am.),  an  informer.  The  word  came  into  great 
notoriety  during  the  whisky  ring  exposures,  when  nearly 
every  "crooked"  ganger  and  distiller  joined  the  ignoble 
army  of  "squealers"  in  order  to  "get  in  out  of  the  rain." 

Squeeze,  to  blackmail. 


V 


SQU— STA  263 

Squeeze,  silk. 

Squeeze,  the  neck. 

Squeezer  (Old  Eng.),  the  hangman's  rope. 

Squib,  a  jeu  d'esfrit^  a  skit  or  sarcastic  story. 

Squibs,  paint  brushes. 

Squiuny-eyed  (Old  Eng.),  squinting.     See  Lear^  iv,  6. 

Squtnters,  the  eyes. 

Squirm  (Am.),  to  wriggle  or  twist  about. 

Squirt,  a  brainless  fop,  a  contemptible  fellow. 

Stab,  to  drink ;  "stab  yourself  and  pass  the  dagger,"  help 
yourself  and  pass  the  bottle. 

Stab;  "ontbestab"  (Eng.),  on  the  establishment,  that  is, 
on  regular  wages  and  not  paid  by  the  piece. 

Stab-rag  (Eng.),  a  tailor. 

Stack  of  whites;  waiter's  term  for  wheat  cakes.     A  Stack 

OF  Reds  means  buckwheat,  and  a  Stack  of  Blues  corn 

cakes. 
Stag,  an  English  shilling. 
Stagr  (Eng.)  to  watch,  "stag  his  nibs  with  the  done;"  see  the 

man  with  the  girl. 

Stag,  on  the  Stock  Exchange,  a  speculator  without  capital. 

Stagger,  to  surprise. 

Stagger,  one  who  is  on  the  watch. 

Stagger,  to  try ;  "I  will  make  a  stagger  at  it  anyhow." 

Stag  party  (Am.),  a  party  composed  entirely  of  men. 

Stale  (Old  Eng.),  a  prostitute. 

Stale  drunk,  a  debauch  carried  over  from  one  day  to  another; 

unevaporated  fumes  of  liquor. 
Stalking  Horse  (Eng.),  any  bugbear  persistently  paraded ;  a 

person  used  as  a  pretence. 


264  STA 

Stall  (Eng.),  a  worker  with  pickpockets  or  other  thieves, 

one  who  keeps  watch  or  receives  the  plunder  but  does  not 

do  the  actual  act  of  theft. 
Stall,  any  dodge  or  imposition.     Properly  Stoll. 
Stalled,  stuck,  as  a  horse  is  stalled  in  the  mud.     Shakespear* 

uses  Stelled  for  set  or  fixed. 
Stall-off,  to  put  off  or  mislead;  to  screen  a  robbery. 
Stall  your  mugr  (Eng.),  go  away,  get  out  of  here. 
Stallsiuan,  an  accomplice. 
Stampede  (Spanish),  a  general  outbreak  of  animals  caused 

by  fright.     In  such  cases  on  the  plains  whole  herds  of 

cattle  rush  madly  away.     The  term  has  been  transferred  to 

scares  among  human  beings. 
Stampers,  shoes. 
Stand  in  (Eng.),  to  share  in  a  bet  or  any  speculation,  or  to 

take   a  side  in  a  dispute.     To  stand  in  with  another  is  to 

share  with  him  or  to  be  friendly  with  him. 
Standing:  on  Velvet  (Eng.),  betting  so  that  whichever  horse 

wins  the  bettor  cannot  lose,  while  he  may  win. 
Stand  Pad  (Eng.),  to  stand  on  the  sidewalk  begging,  or 

with  a  placard,  "I  am  starving"  or  something  of  that   kind 

in  order  to  incite  charity. 
Stand  Pat  (Am.),  to  retain  one's  hand   at  draw-poker  and 

not  take  any  other  cards. 
Standtreator  Stand  Sam  (Eng.),  to  pay  for  drinks  or 

other  entertainment  for  a  friend. 
Star,  the  leading  performer  at  a  theatre. 
Starchy  (Eng.),  stuck-up,  extra  dignified,  stiff  in  manner. 
Stargazing:  (Eng.),  looking  up  at  the  sky  to  the  neglect  of 

what  is  at  one's  feet. 
Stark  (Eng.),  stiff,  cold,  dead. 
Stark  naked  (Eng.),  raw  spirits. 


STA— STI  265 

Stars  and  Stripes  (Am.),  the  flag  of  the   United   States 

otherwise  the  Star  Spangled  Banner. 
Start,  "a  rum  start,"  (Eng.),  an  odd  occurrence.  "To  get  the 

start"  of  one  is  to  overreach   or  to  anticipate  him. 
Star  the  glaze  (Eng.),  to  break  a  window,  often  done  for 

purposes  of  robbery. 
Starver,  a  very  small  loaf  of  bread.     Otherwise  a  "duffer." 
Stash  it  (Eng.),  stop  it;  let  up. 
Staving,  great,  strong. 

Stayer  (Eng.),  one  not  easily  discouraged;  a  good  long-dis- 
tance horse. 
Steep,  extravagant,  great;  "the  price  is  too  steep." 
Steer  (Am.),  to  steer  one  against  a  gambling  game  or  other 

swindle,  to  induce  him  to  play  or  speculate  by  false  pretences. 
Steerer  (Am.),  one  who  lays  in  wait  for  "suckers"  and 

shows  them  where  they  can  find  a  little  game  in  which  he 

has  an  interest. 
Steering  committee  (Am.),  a  committee  appointed  to  take 

charge  of  a  political  campaign. 
Stems,  or  Pipe-stems,  the  legs. 

Step  and  fetch  it,  a  lame  man ;  one  with  one  leg  shorter  than 
!     the  other.     Sometimes  called  Dot  and  Carry  one. 
Step  it,  go  away,  make  off. 
Stepper,  the  treadmill. 

Stepper,  a  "high  stepper"  is  a  well-dressed  lively  woman. 
Sternwheeler  (Am.),  a   steamboat  with  one  paddle-wheel 

placed  at  the  rear,  much  used  on  the  Ohio  and  Mississippi. 
Stick,  a  poor  actor  or  a  fellow  of  little  account;  "a  poor  stick." 
Stick,  in  theatrical  phrase,  to  break  down  in  the  dialogue. 
Stick,  a  billiard  cue. 
Stick,  "cut  your,"  go  away. 


266  STI— STO 

Sticker,  a  stayer,  one  who  does  not  know  when  to  quit  or 
how  to  let  go;  one  not  easily  gotten  rid  of. 

Stickful,  about  twelve  lines  of  type,  as  much  as  the  compos- 
itor's "stick"  will  hold. 

Stickings  (Eng.),  coarse  and  damaged  meat. 

Stickler,  a  very  particular  person. 

Sticks,  furniture. 

Stick,  "to  stick  a  man"  is  to  get  in  his  debt  or  leave  him  in 
the  lurch. 

Stick  up,  an  Australian  term  for  highway  robbery  in  the 
Bush. 

Stick  up  for,  to  back  up;  to  assist. 

Stiflf  (Am.),  a  corpse. 

Stiff  (Eng.),  an  accommodation  bill.  To  "do  a  bit  of  stiff* 
is  to  negotiate  a  bill  or  "fly  a  kite." 

Stiff  (Am.),  a  lie  or  fake. 

Stiff  (Am.),  a  worthless  fellow.     "An  old  stiff." 

Stiff  *un  (Eng.),  see  Safe  one  ante. 

Still  drunk,  (Am.),  a  long  continued  drunk  never  reaching 
to  a  violent  stage  and  never  descending  to  sobriety. 

Stingo,  (Eng.),  strong  ale. 

"This  Franklin,  sirs,  he  brewed  good  ale 
And  he  called  it  rare  old  Stingo. 

— Ingoldshy. 

Stinker,  or  Stinkerandos  brand,  a  bad  cigar. 

Stint  (Am.),  to  stop.     A  stint  of  work  is  a  certain  task. 

Stir,  a  prison.     From  the  Gipsy  Stirabin. 

Stitch,  generic  name  for  a  tailor. 

Stived  up,  close,  sultry,  not  ventilated. 

Stock,  "to  take  stock  in,"  to  believe  in  one.     To  "take  stock 

of"  one  on  the  other  hand  is  to  "size  him  up,"  to  scrutinize 

him* 


STO— STR  ^ 

Stock  (Am.),  to  stock  cards  is  to  arrange  them  for  cheating 

purposes 

*^at  the  cards  they  were  stocked 

In  a  way  that  I  grieve 

And  my  feelings  were  shocked 

At  the  state  of  Nye's  sleeve 

Which  was  stuffed  full  of  aces  and  bowers 

And  the  same  with  intent  to  deceive." 

—Bret  Harte,  Heathen  Onmee. 
Stocky  (Am.),  short  and  stoutly  built. 
Stoll  (Gip.),  to  understand. 
Stomach  (Eng.),  to  bear  with.     Mostly  used  in  the  negative 

as  "I  couldn't  stomach  that." 
Stone  fence  (Am.),  a  mixture  of  whisky  and  cider. 
Stone  jug  (Eng.),  a  prison.     Ainsworth's  disreputable  hero 
sing^: 

"In  the  box  of  a  stone-jug  I  was  bom 

Of  a  hempen  widow  the  kid  forlorn." 

Stook,  a  pocket-handkerchief.      A  Stock   Hauler  is  a 

handkerchief  thief  or  pickpocket. 
Stool-pig^eon,  a  decoy.     One  employed  by  the  police  to  lead 

his  associates  into  a  trap. 
Stoop  (Dutch),  the  front  steps  of  a  house. 
Story,  a  falsehood.  -^^ 

Stot  (Scotch),  a  young  bullock.  ^ 

Stoat  (Old  Eng.  and  Scotch),  a  cup. 
Stoughton  bottle,  a  term  of  derision. 
Stowaway,  one  who  hides  on  board  ship  to  get  a  passage 

without  paying. 
Stow  it,  (Eng.),  or  Stow  your  gab,  leave  ofE;  quit  talking. 

Synonymous  with  Stash,  (^.  v.) 
Straddle,  on  the  Stock  Exchange,  a   contract  under  which 

the  holder  may  either  call  for  or  deliver  stock  at  a  certain 

fixed  price. 


268  STR 

Straddle,  at  poker,  to  double  the  ante. 

Straddle-bug,  a  beetle. 

Straiirlit  (Am.),  undiluted  spirits.     See  Neat. 

Straigrlit,  honest,  square,  the  opposite  of  Crooked  (y.  v.) 

Straight  (Am.),  in  the  game  of  Poker  is  a  sequence  of  five 
cards.  A  straight  may  count  either  way  from  an  ace  as 
Ace,  King,  Queen,  etc.,  or  Ace,  Deuce,  Trey,  etc.  The 
game  may  be  played  with  or  without  straights  as  may  be 
agreed. 

Straight  as  a  string,  honest. 

Straight  ticket  (Am.),  the  ticket  nominated  by  a  political 
party  caucus  or  convention  and  voted  as  a  whole,  without 
scratching. 

Strap,  a  barber. 

Strapped,  hard  up,  out  of  money. 

Straw  bail,  worthless  bail  furnished  by  professional  bailors, 
who  are  *'men  of  straw"  instead  of  men  of  wealth.  Of  old 
times  in  England  men  who  were  willing  to  become  bail  for 
others  for  a  consideration  hung  about  the  courts  with  straws 
stuck  in  their  shoes,  as  it  was  forbidden  to  openly  solicit  the 
job.     Dickens  has  a  reference  to  the  practice  in  Pickwick. 

Straw,  "in  the,"  (Eng,),  ladies  are  said  to  be  so  at  their 
accouchement. 

Streak,  to  decamp,  to  run  away. 

Streak,  a  vein ;  "a  streak  of  good  luck." 

Streaked,  tired  out,  sweated  out. 

Streaky,  ill-tempered ;  irritable. 

Street,  "the,"  Wall  Street,  New  York  City. 

Street  Arabs,  t\\G  gamins  of  the  street,  bootblacks,  newsboys, 
et  id  genus  omne. 

Stretch,  a  walk. 

Stretch,  one  year's  imprisonment. 


STR— STU  369 


Stretch,  to  hang. 
Stretched,  hanged. 


"The  night  before  Larry  was  stretched 
The  boys  they  all  paid  him  a  visit 
A  bit  in  their  sacks  too  they  fetched 
They  sweated  their  duds  tell  they  riz  it." 

Stretcher,  a  falsehood,  one  that  requires  a  stretch  of  the  im- 
agination to  swallow  it. 

Strike  a  jigger,  to  pick  a  lock  or  break  open  a  door. 

Strike  it  (Am.),  or  strike  it  rich,  to  make  a  success. 

Strike  me,  a  Cockney  asseveration ;  often  Strike  me  Blind. 

Striker  (Am.),  a  ward  striker  or  worker  is  a  fellow  who 
has  or  professes  to  have  political  influence  in  the  neighbor- 
hood where  he  lives  and  who  uses  it  for  all  it  is  worth  and 
strikes  a  candidate  for  money. 

String,  «tto  get  in  a"  or  to  "get  in  a  line"  is  to  hoax. 

String,  "with  a  string  to  it,"  (Am.),  is  said  of  an  offer  or 
promise  made  contingent  on  something  else  being  done  or 
subject  to  recall. 

Stripe,  "the  right,"  the  right  kind  of  pattern. 

Stroke,  the  leading  oarsman  in  a  boat,  the  one  who  sets  the 
pace  and  pulls  the  stroke  oar. 

Stronunel  (Gip.),  straw. 

Strong,  to  "come  it  strong"  or  to  "pitch  it  strong,"  explains 
itself. 

Strong-minded,  said  of  woman  suffragists  and  advanced 
woman  generally. 

Struck,  impressed  with. 

Struck  it  rich  (Am.),  having  made  a  winning. 

Struck  Oil  (Am.),  same  as  the  foregoing;  having  become 
suddenly  rich  as  those  did  who  struck  a  flowing  oil-well. 

Stub,  to  strike,  as  one  stubs  one's  toe. 


270  STU 

Stuck,  out  of  money,  in  distress.     Also  to  be  taken  in. 
Stuck,  to  be  stuck  on  a  person  or  on  any  article  is  to  be  fond 

of  him    or  it,  thus  Jones  is  stuck   on  a  girl  and  the   girl  is 

stuck  on  candy. 
Stuck  tip  (Eng.),  purse-proud. 
Stuff,  money. 
StiiS",  to  stuff  a  person,  is  to  gammon  or  hoax  him,  to  cram 

him  with  falsehood. 

Stump,  to  puzzle  or  confound.  Also  to  challenge.  See 
Lowell, 

"It  don't  seem  hardly  right,  John 
When  both  my  hands  was  full 
To  stump  me  to  a  fight,  John 
Your  cousin  too,  John  Bull." 

Jonathan  to  John. 

Stump,  to  go  on  foot. 

Stump,  "to  take  the,"  (Am.),  to  make  electioneering 
speeches  in  various  places.  Such  speeches  were  formerly 
made  from  the  stumps  of  trees,  affording  the  speaker  a 
vantage  ground. 

Stumped,  puzzled,  unable  to  reply. 

Stumped  (Eng.),  knocked  out,  from  the  cricketing  term. 

Stumper,  a  puzzler,  an  unanswerable  question. 

Stump  it,  walk  off;  Stir  your  Stumps. 

Stump-speaker  (Am.),  one  who  speaks  from  the  stump. 

Stumps,  legs  or  feet. 

Stumptail  (Am.),  bank  notes  of  doubtful  value;  depreciated 

paper  currency. 
Stump  up,  to  pay  one's  share. 
Stumpy  (Eng.),  money. 

Stunner  (Eng.),  anything  astonishing  or  overwhelming. 
Stimning,  very  fine,  large,  astonishing,  firsi  rate. 


SUB— SUR  271 

Sub,  a  subaltern  officer. 

Sub,  one  who  fills  a  p\ace  temporarily  in  the  absence  of   the 

regular  employe;  an  abbreviation  of  substitute. 
Sub,  to  draw  money  in  advance;  probably  from  subsidize. 
Subjects,  medical  term  for  corpses. 
Suck,  a  drunkard. 
Suck,  to  pump. 
Suck,  a  parasite  or  flatterer. 
Suck  Casa  (Lingua  Franca)  a  drinking  house. 
Sucked  in,  deceived,  swindled.     See  Roped  in  ante. 
Sucker  (Am.),  a  resident  of  Illinois. 
Sucker,  a  victim  of  sharpers;  a  greenhorn. 
Sucking  the  monkey,  stealing  liquor  from  a  barrel  by  means 

of  a  straw  inserted  through  a  gimlet  hole. 
Sudden  death  (Eng.),  in  tossing  where  the  first  call  decides, 

as  differing  from  the  "best  two  out  of  three." 
Sufferer,  a  tailor ;  one  who  gives  tick  and  fails  to  collect. 
Sugrar,  money. 
Sulky  (Am.),  a  two-wheeled   carriage.     In   France  a  des- 

ohligeante. 
Sundown  (Am.),  sunset. 

Sun  in  the  eyes  or  Been  in  the  sun,  intoxicated. 
Sun  up,  sunrise. 
Supe  or  Super,  abbreviation  of   supernumerary  ;   one  who 

plays  Roman  citizens,  soldiers,  and  other  inferior  parts  in  a 

theatre. 
Super,  a  watch.     A  "red  super"  is  a  gold   watch;  a   "vvliite 

super,"  a  silver  one. 
Supply,  a  clergyman   who  fills  a  pulpit  temporarily  during 

the  absence  of  the  regular  pastor. 
Sure  and  Sure-enough;real,  genuine,  certainly. 


273  SUR— SWE 

Surprise  Party  (Am.),  a  party  of  friends  descend  upon  the 
house  of  a  mutual  friend  and  take  possession  of  it,  each 
bringing  some  contribution  toward  a  jollification. 

Suspenders  (Am.),  braces. 

Suspicion,  a  slight  flavor,  probably  from  the  French  sou-pc0n. 

Suspicion,  "to,"  (Am.),  often  wrongly  used  for  "to  suspect." 

S^w^ab  (Sea  term),  an  epaulet. 

Swab  (Sea  term)  a  term  of  derision. 

Swag,  (Eng.),  plunder,  baggage. 

Swagger,  to  put  on  style  or  Side  {q.vJ)  The  word  is  old. 
In  King  Henry  I V^  fart  II,  Doll  Tearsheet  speaks  of 
Ancient  Pistol  as  a  "swaggerer,"  much  to  the  alarm  of  Dame 
Quickly,  who  refuses  to  admit  him  until  FalstafE  assures 
her  that  Pistol  is  no  "swaggerer,  but  a  tame  cheater,  who 
will  not  swagger  with  a  Barbary  hen  if  her  feathers  turn 
back  in  any  show  of  resistance." 

Swagsman,  one  who  carries  off  the  proceeds  of  a  robbery. 
Swale,  a  tract  of  low  land. 
Swallow-tail,  a  dress  coat. 

Swamped,  in  overwhelming  trouble,  as  when  one  is  head  over 
heels  in  debt ;  ruined. 

Swankey,  a  mixture  of  molasses  and  vinegar;  small  beer. 
Swap  or  Swop,  to  barter  or  exchange. 

Swashbuckler,  or  Swingebuckler,  a  bully.  Formerly 
applied  to  a  swordsman  of  the  pattern  of  Ancient  Pistol; 
"the  cankers  of  a  long  peace"  with  a  "horrid  suit  of  the 
camp  and  a  beard  of  the  general's  cut." 

Swatb,  "to  cut  a  wide"  to  live  high ;  to  make  a  big  splurge;  to 

cut  a  figure  in  the  world. 
Swear  oflf,  to  take  an  oath  to  refrain  from  drinking. 
Sweat,  to  bleed,  to  extort  money  from. 


SWE— SWI  273 

Sweat-box  (Am.),  a  cell  in  which  suspected  persons  are  con- 
fined and  subjected  to  examination  by  the  police  for  the 
purpose  of  extorting  confessions  from  them;  an  illegal 
method  but  often  practiced. 

Sweath-cloth  (Am.),  part  of  the  apparatus  used  by  thimble- 
riggers  and  "shell- workers."  It  can  be  spread  out  any- 
where and  a  game  inaugurated  at  a  moment's  notice. 

Sweated  (Eng.),  said  of  gold  coins  which  have  been  shook 
up  in  a  bag  to  reduce  their  weight. 

Sweated,  pawned. 

Sweater,  a  cheap  tailor  who  pays  starvation  wages.  Also 
applied  to  the  poor  devils  who  sweat  for  his  benefit. 

Sweater,  one  who  "sweats"  gold  coin. 

Sweep,  a  contumelious  term. 

Sweet,  "to  be  sweet  on,"  to  be  fond  of. 

Sweetener,  a  bribe  or  gift. 

Swell,  a  dressy  man.  In  England  the  lower  classes  speak  of 
anyone  of  superior  position  as  a  *'swell."  But  there  are 
many  varieties  of  the  genus,  of  which  the  "howling  swell" 
is  the  most  obnoxious. 

Swelled  head  (Am.),  vanity.     See  Big  Head  ante. 

Swigr,  to  drink;  also  a  drink. 

Swill   (Am.),  drink;  to  guzzle. 

Swill,  to  drink.  Swill,  which  means  hog-wash,  is  also 
applied  to  any  inferior  drink. 

Swim,  "in  the,"  in  good  luck ;  in  a  good  line  of  business ;  on 
the  inside. 

Swing,  to  have  one's  full  swing  is  to  have  a  good  chance  and 
unfettered  action. 

Swing,  to  hang ;  to  be  hanged. 

Swinge,  to  beat  with  a  whip. 

Swingeing,  large,  powerful,  as  a  "swingeing  blow.** 


274  SWI— SYN 

Swipe,  a  sweeping  blow;  at  cricket  to  hit  hard  with  a  full 

swing  of  the  bat. 
Swipes,  sour  or  small  beer.     To  Swipe  is  to  drink. 
Swlpey,  intoxicated. 
Swished,  flogged. 
Switch,  to  flog. 
Switch  (Am.),  to  turn  cars  from  one  line  of  rails  to  another. 

In  England  the  process  is  called   Shunting.     A  switch  is 

the  movable  rail  by  which  this  process  is  effected. 
Switch,   a  wisp   of   false   hair   used   by    women   for   their 

supposed  adornment. 
Swivel-eye,  a  squinting  eye.     See   Boss-Eye   and   Cock- 

Eye  ante. 
Swizzle  (Eng.),  small  beer. 
Swop  or  Swap,  to  exchange  or  barter. 
Swot  or  Swat,  a  blow,  or  to  strike. 
Syne  (Scotch),  long  ago,  as  "Auld  Lang  Syne." 


T  *«to  suit  to  a  T,"  to  fit  to  a  nicety. 

Tab,  (Am.),  a  ticket;  "to  keep  tab"  is  equivalent  to  keeping 

tally  or  to  score. 
Tabby,  an  old  woman,  one  of  cattish  disposition. 
Tabby  party,  a  party  composed  entirely  of  women. 
Tabooed,  forbidden,  from  the  savage  custom  of  setting  apart 

certain  things  as  being  "tabu;"  that  is,  sacred  and  not  to  be 

touched. 
Tack,  "hard,"  sea  biscuit. 
Tacked,  tied  down,  beaten. 
Tackle,  harness.     Also  clothing. 
Tackle,  to  encounter  a  person  either  in  argument  or  physical 

contest;  to  seize  hold  of. 
Tackling,  is  used  in  New  England  to  signify  harnessing. 
Tads,  small  boys. 
Taflfy,  a  Welshman.     "Taffy  was  a  Welshman,  Taffy  was  a 

thief." 
Taflfy  (Am.),  candy.     Also  flattery. 
Tag  (Am.),  a  slight  touch;  the  name  of  a  boy's  game. 
Tag  (Am.),  a  ticket.     See  Tab,  ante. 
Tag-rag  (Eng.),  a  mixed  crowd;  low  people. 
Tailings  (Am.),  refuse  ore. 
Take,  the  allowance  of  "copy"  given  out  to  a  compositor  to 

set. 
Take  (Eng.),  to  understand. 

S76 


276  TAK— TAN 

Take,  to  succeed. 

Take  a  fall,  to  down  one  in  argument  or  physically. 

Take  after,  to  resemble. 

Take  down,  to  humiliate. 

Take  in,  to  swindle  or  defraud.     Used  both  as  a  verb  and  as 

a  noun,  a  "take  in"  being  a  swindle. 
Take  it  out.     To  take  it  out  of  one  is  to  thrash  him  or  get 

even  witn  him. 
Taken  in,  arrested.     See  Run  In. 
Take  on,  to  grieve  or  lament  bitterly. 
Takes  the  cake  (Am.),  or  takes  the  bun,  or  the  bakery,  etc. 

etc.     Said  of  a  tall  fish  story  or  of  anything  superlative. 
Take  up,  to   adopt  the  cause  of  another  or  to  accept   a 

challenge. 
Take  water  (Am.),  to  back  down. 
Talking  shop  (Eng.),  talking  business  always,  as  a  company 

of  lawyers  talking  law  or  doctors  discussing  medicine. 
Talking  turkey  (Am.),  speaking  to  the  point. 
Tall,  fine,  extravagant. 
Tall  talk  (Am.),  romance,  brag,  bombast. 
Tally,  "to  keep,"  to   keep  count.     This  was  formerly  done 

with  tally -sticks,  but  the  word  is  now  applied  to  any  system 

of  counting. 
Tan,  to  beat. 

Tandem  (Eng.),  two  horses  in  line. 
Tang-,  a  sting.     Shakespeare  has  it,  "She  had  a  tongue  with 

a  tang." 
Tangle-foot  (Am.),  bad  whisky. 
Tank,  a  man  with  an  infinite  capacity  for  liquor. 
Tanner,  an  English  sixpence. 
Tantrums  (Eng.),  ill-temper. 


TAP— TEA  277 

Tap,  to  extract  information. 

Tape  (Eng.),  gin. 

Taper  oflF,  to  quit  drinking  gradually, 

Tapsalterie  (Scotch),  upside  down. 

Taradiddle,  a  falsehood. 

Tarbrush.  A  person  with  negro  blood  in  his  veins  is  said  to 
have  "had  a  dip  of  the  tar-brush." 

Tarpaulin,  a  sailor. 

Tart  (Eng.),  a  girl,  generally  applied  to  one  of  light  behavior. 
See  ToTTiE. 

Tartar,  a  savage  fellow ;  a  rough  customer.  To  "catch  a 
Tartar"  is  to  tackle  somebody  who  proves  very  hard  to 
manage.  A  French  soldier  in  Russia  captured  a  Tartar 
and  called  out  to  his  companions  that  he  had  done  so. 
"Bring  him  along"  was  the  order.  "He  won't  come"  said 
the  soldier.  "Then  come  without  him."  "I  can't,"  said 
the  Frenchman,  "he  won't  let  mc." 

Tatler,  a  watch. 

Tats,  lice. 

Tats,  old  rags. 

Tatterdemalion  (Eng.),  a  ragged  vagrant. 

Taw,  a  boys's  marble. 

Taw,  "come  up  to,"  to  toe  the  mark. 

Tax-eater  (Am.),  one  who  holds  political  office,  elective  or 
appointive ;  a  feeder  at  the  public  crib. 

Tax-fighter  (Am.),  one  who  resists  the  payment  of  taxes 
and  contests  them  in  court. 

Tea-fight  (Eng.),  a  tea-party. 

Team  or  Teem  (Old  Eng.),  to  pour  out. 

Team,  «a  whole  team,"  (Am.),  an  expression  of  admiration. 

Tear,  "on  a,"  (Am.),  on  a  spree  or  debauch. 


278  TEC— TES 

Tec,  a  detective.     Otherwise  a  "Dee"  or  «D." 

Tee  (Scotch),  the  winning  mark  at  the  game  of  curling. 

Teeney,  small;  from  the  Gipsy  Tawno^  little. 

Teeter,  to  see-saw. 

Teeth,  "to  cut  one's  eye  teeth,"   to  be  wide-awake,  fly  and 

knowing. 
Teetotaller,  a  total  abstainer  from  drink.     The  term  is  said 

to  have  arisen  from  the  efforts  of  an  enthusiast  who  stuttered 

when  trying  to  express  his  t-t-total  abstinence. 
Telle!  to  titter. 

Telegram,  a  despatch  by  telegraph. 
Telescope  (Am.),  in   railroad  collisions  when  the  cars  pass 

through  each  other  in  the  smash-up. 
Tell,  to  tell  good-by  is  to  say  farewell. 
Tell  on,  to  tell  about,  to  inform  against. 
Ten  Commandments,   or  Ten  Talents,  (the   latter  from 

talons);  the  ten  fingers  with  which  a  virago  threatens   her 

opponent  in  a  quarrel. 

Tend,  to  take  care  of  or  attend  to,  no  longer  holds  that  mean- 
ing in  England,  though  it  was  used  by  Shakespeare  and  is 
still  in  use  in  this  country. 

Tenderfoot  (Am.),  one  newly  arrived  in  the  mining 
country. 

Ten-strike  (Am.),  a  successful  stroke,  a  thorough  piece  of 
work.  From  the  game  of  ten-pins,  where  it  means  to 
knock  down  all  the  balls  at  one  throw. 

Tepee,  an  Indian  tent  or  wigwam. 

Terrier  or  Tarrier,  a  tough  man,  a  loafer. 

Terror,  "a  holy   terror,"  (Am.),   a   hard  man,  a  passionate 

fellow. 
Tester  (Old),  an  English  sixpence. 


TEX— THO  279 

Texas  (Am.),  the  upper  deck  of  a  Mississippi  river  steam- 
boat. « 

Tbank  ye  ma'ams  (Am.),  hollows  or  depressions  in  a  road 
which  cause  vehicles  to  bump  up  and  down.  A  young 
fellow  driving  a  girl  in  a  sleigh  is  permitted  to  kiss  the  girl 
at  each  of  these,  the  same  as  taking  toll  at  the  bridges. 

Tlmtch,  a  hat. 

Thick,  stupid. 

Thick,  "to  be  thick  with  one"  to  be  intimate  with  him. 

Thick,  "to  lay  it  on  to  him,"  to  flatter;  to  surfeit  with 
adulation. 

Thick  *un,  an  English  sovereign  or  pound  sterling,  other- 
wise a  Neddy.  The  latter  was  originally  a  guinea,  or 
twenty-one  shillings. 

Thimble,  a  watch. 

Thimble-rig:  (Eng.),  a  swindling  game  worked  with  three 
thimbles  and  a  pea,  the  "sucker"  being  induced  to  bet 
under  which  thimble  the  evasive  pea  is  lodged.  Similar 
to  the  Shell-Game  (j-.  v.) 

Thimble-twisters,  watch  thieves,  those  who  snatch  at  the 

chain  and  break  it. 
Thin,  "too  thin,"  not  to  be  believed,  too  gauzy  and   flimsy  a 

tale.     Said  to  be  an  Americanism,  but  used  by  Shakespeare 

in  the  same  sense. 
Thing:,  "the  thing,"  (Eng.),  the  style,  the  proper  proportion. 

Sometimes  the  "correct  thing." 
Thin-skinned  (Eng.),  over  nice,  petulant,  easily  offended. 
Thirds,  a  widow's  dower,  being  one-third  of  the  estate  of  her 

husband. 
Thirty  (Am.),  in  the  telegrapher's  code,  means  "That's  all, 

good-night." 
Thole  (Old  Eng.)  to  endure,  to  put  up  with. 


28o  THO— THU 

Thompson's  colt,  "stupid  as."    This  animal  is  said  to  have 

swum  the  river  in  order  to  get  a  drink. 
Thousand  of  bricks,  "to  come  down  on  one  like  a,"  is  to 

descend  heavily  on  one. 
Thrap,  to  strike. 
Three-card-men  (Am.),  gamblers  who  play   monte  and 

other  swindling  games  and  rob  the  unwary. 
Three  **Bs,**  the,  reading,  (w)riting  and  'rithmetic. 
Three  sheets  in  the  wind  (Sea  term),  unsteady  from  drink. 

Same  as  Half-Seas-Over. 
Three-up  (Eng.),  a  gambling  game  played  with  coppers  or 

other  coins.     One  man  throws  up  three  coins  and    another 

calls.     The  odd  man  loses  or  wins  as  may  be  agreed. 
Through,  (Am.),  finished.     When  a  man  has  had  enough 

to  eat  he  says  he  is  "through..* 
Through  the  mill,  a  man  who  has  bought  and  paid  for  his 

experience  is  said  to  have  "been  through  the  mill." 
Throw  over,  to  reject  or  abandon. 
Thrummer,  an  English  threepenny  bit. 
Thrums,  three  pence. 
Thrums,  remnants  of  silk  or  dress  goods. 
Thrups  or  Thrips,  three  pence  English. 
Thug,  a  thief,  thumper  and  street  loafer.     From  the  Hindu. 
Thumper,  a  lie  of  large  dimensions. 
Thumper  (Am.),  a  rough  or  bully,  a  pugilist. 
Thumping,  large,  fine  or  strong. 
Thunderbomb,  an  imaginary  man  o'  war  about  which  great 

yarns  are  spun.     See  Spidirken  ante. 

Thundering,  large,  extra-sized. 

Thunder,  'stolen,"  the  plans  or  speeches  of  some  one  else 
devoted  to  one's  own  purpose. 


TIB— TIG  981 

Tib,  the  head. 

Tibbing  out,  in  English    schoolboy  slang,  going  out  of 

bounds. 
Tib's  eve,  an  indefinite  period  like  the  Greek  Kalends. 
Tick  (Eng.),  credit,  trust. 
Ticker,  a  watch. 
Ticker,  the  electric  apparatus  by  which  quotations  of  stock 

or  grain,  etc.  are  recorded. 
_^_.^ Ticket  (Am.),  the  list  of  candidates  for  office  as  prepared  by 
^      the  party  leaders  or  by  caucus  or  convention. 
Ticket,  "that's  the,"  that's  all  right. 
Tickler,  a  puzzle. 
Tickler,  a  register  of  bills  payable  and  notes  falling  due  kept 

by  merchants  and  bankers. 
Tiddly  wink  (Eng.),  the  name  of  a  game. 
Tidy,  tolerably  well. 
Tidy  (Am.),  an  ornamental  cover  for  a  sofa  or  chair;  known 

in  England  as  an  Anti-macassar. 
Tie,  a  dead  heat;  where  two  sides  have  equal  numbers. 
Tied  or  Tied  up,  married. 
Tie  to,  to  rely  upon. 
Tiflf  (Eng.),  a  petty  quarrel. 
Tiffin,  (Anglo  Hindu)  lunch. 
Tiflfy,  easily  offended. 
Tigrer  (Am.),  a  final  cheer,  "three  cheers  and  a  tiger  were 

given." 
Tiger,  "to  buck  the;"  to  play  against  the  bank  in  a  gambling 

house. 
Tight,  intoxicated. 
Tight,  close,  hard.     The  money  market  is  said  to  be  "tight" 

when  discounters  hold  off. 


282  TIG— TIN 

Tight  little  island;  Great  Britain. 

Tight  place  "to  be  in  a,"  to  be  in  difficulty  or  danger,  or  to 
be  short  of  money. 

Tightener,  a  hearty  meal. 

Tights,  coverings  for  the  lower  limbs  worn  by  ballet-girls 
and  chorus  singers  and  by  a  certain  class  of  actresses. 

Tike  or  Tyke,  a  dog. 

Tile,  a  hat. 

Tile  loose,  "got  a;"  not  quite  right  in  the  head. 

Tilter,  same  as  Teeter,  a  see-saw. 

Timber  (Am.),  woodland. 

Timber-merchant  (Eng.),  a  pedler  of  matches. 

Timber-toes,  a  wooden-legged  man. 

Time,  "doing  time,"  working  out  a  sentence  of  imprison- 
ment. 

Time  o'  day,  "to  be  fly  to  the,"  is  to  be  smart,  sharp,  knowing, 
up  to  all  the  tricks  on  the  board,  to  know  what's  o'clock. 

Time,  "to  call,"  in  the  language  of  the  prize  ring,  the  signal 
to  begin  or  to  renew  a  fight. 

Time,  "to  have  a  good,"  (Am.),  or  a  "high  old  time,"  is  to 
go  on  a  spree  or  debauch  or  to  indulge  in  pleasure. 

Tin,  money. 

Tine  (Scotch),  to  lose. 

Tinge  (Eng.),  a  percentage  allowed  to  dry  goods  salesmen 
on  such  inferior  or  old-fashioned  articles  as  they  can  work 
off  on  customers  as  "bargains".  Otherwise  known  as 
Spiffs. 

Tinker's  Dam.  Menders  of  pots  and  kettles  make  a  "dam" 
of  bread  to  prevent  the  solder  from  wasting.  The  bread  is 
of  course  worthless  after  this  and  "not  worth  a  tinker's 
dam"  is  synonymous  with  absolute  worthlessness. 


TIN— TIB  083 

Tinkler,  a  bell.    "Jerk  the  tinkler,"  ring  the  bell,  or  "agitate 

the  communicator." 
Tin-pot,  small,  petty,  shabby,  worthless. 
Tin  wedding  (Am.),  celebration  of  the  tenth  anniversary  of 

a  marriage. 
Tip  (Eng.),  advice   or  information   respecting  anything,  but 

especially  applied  to  racing  matters ;  "a  straight  tip"  is   one 

v\rhich  comes  direct  from  an  owner  or  trainer  and  which  is 

supposed  reliable. 
Tip,  in  bookbinding,  to  insert  new  pages  in  a  printed  book  in 

place  of  defective  pages. 
Tip,  a  douceur  or  small  gift  to  servants,  waiters,  etc.     In 

France  pour-boire. 
Tip  the  wink,  to  inform. 
Tip,  «<to  miss  one's  tip,"  to  fail  in  a  scheme  or  undertaking. 

Tipper,  ale.  Mrs.  Gamp's  favorite  drink  when  she  "malted," 
was  the  "Brighton  tipper." 

Tipster,  one  who  furnishes  tips  on  races;  otherwise  known 
as  a  "Sporting  Prophet." 

Tip-top.  first-rate,  of  the  best  kind ;  away  up. 
Tip-topper,  a  swell  or  dressy  man ;  a  high-flyer. 
Tip  us  your  fin,  shake  hands. 

Tired,  "you  make  me,"  (Am.),  is  said  to  one  who  tells  a 
stupid  story  or  who  bothers  a  person. 

Tish,  among  tradesmen,  an  allowance  made  to  employes  for 
disposing  of  inferior  goods.     See  Tinge  ante. 

Tit  (Eng.),  a  horse. 

Tit  for  tat  (Eng.),  an  equivalent,  retaliation. 

Titivate  (Eng.),  to  put  in  order  or  dress  up.  Probably  from 
Tidy -vat  e. 

Titley,  drink. 


284  TIT—TOM 

Titman,  the  small  pig  of  a  litter,  the  runt 

Titter,  a  girl. 

Tizzy  or  Tester  (Eng.),  sixpence. 

Toad  in  the  hole  (Eng.),  a  batter  pudding  with  a  piece  of 

meat  in  it. 
Toasting-fork  (Eng.),  a  regulation  army  sword. 

Toby,  the  highway.     "On  the  high  toby,"  on  the  main  road. 
Byron  uses  the  expression  in  Don  Juan. 

Tod,  a  drink,  abbreviation  of  Toddy. 

Toddle,  to  saunter  about,  to  walk  as  a  child. 

Toddle,  get  away. 

Toddy,  spirits  and  water.     See  Grog  ante. 

To-do,  a  disturbance,  trouble  "here's  a  pretty  to-do." 

Toe,  to  kick. 

Toe  the  mark,  to  come  forward,  to  "come  up  to  the  scratch," 

to  respond  when  called. 
Toflf  (Eng.),  a  swell;  a  dressy  man. 
Togr,  a  coat,  from  the  Latin  toga. 
Togged  out,  dressed. 
Togs  or  Toggery,  clothing. 
Toke,  dry  bread. 

Tol-lol  or  ToUolish,  tolerable,  fair. 
Toll-shop,  a  prison. 
Tom  and  Jerry,  a  mixed  drink ;  also  applied  to  a  drinking- 

house.     Tom  and  Jerry  were  characters  in   Pierce   Egan's 

Life  in  London. 

Tomboy,   a  hoyden,  a  romping  girl. 

Tombstone,  a   pawn-ticket  "in   memory  of"  whatever  may 
have  been  pawned. 

Tomfoolery,  nonsense. 


TOM— TOO  285 

Tommy,  bread,  food  generally.  A  Tommybag  is  that  in 
which  food  is  carried. 

Tommy  Atkins,  generic  term  for  an  English  private  soldier. 

Tommy  Dodd,  pitch  and  toss,  where  the  odd  man  wins  or 
loses  as  the  agreement  may  be. 

Tommy  master  (Eng.),  one  who  pays   his  workman  in 

[^  goods  or  store  orders  instead  of  cash.     See  Truck. 

Tommy  rot  (Eng.),  nonsense. 

Tommy-shop  (Eng.),  a  baker's  shop,  or  a  shop  where  work- 
men take  out  goods  instead  of  pay  in  cash. 

Toney  (Am.),  fancy,  swellish. 

Tongrne,  **to  grive,"  to  talk,  or  in  the  case  of  fox-hounds  to 
yelp  or  bark  when  the  fox  is  found. 

Too  high  for  his  nut  (Am.),  too  good  for  any  one,  otherwise 

"too  rich  for  his  blood." 
Tool  (Eng.),  to  drive. 

Tool,  "a  poor  tool,"  a  bad  hand  at  anything ;  a  duffer. 
Tooler  (Eng.),  a  pickpocket.     A  Moll-tooler  is  a  female 

pickpocket. 
Tooley  street  tailors,  self-conceited   persons  who  claim  to 

speak  for  the  people  at  large.     Three  tailors  of  Tooley 

street,  London,  once  presented   a  petition  to  Parliament 

beginning  "We,  the  people  of  England." 

Toom  (Scotch),  empty. 

Toot  (Am.),  a  spree. 

Toot,  "on  a,"  on  a  drunk. 

Tooth,  "old  in  the  tooth,"  far  advanced  in  age.  Simile 
drawn  from  the  stable,  as  the  age  of  horses  cannot  be  told 
by  the  teeth  after  they  are  seven  or  eight  years  old. 

Too  thin,  not  satisfactory,  too  evident  to  deceive.  Shake- 
speare has  it  with  exactly  this  meaning. 


286  TOO— TOU 

Tootsies,  ladies  or  children's  feet. 

Top-heavy,  drunk. 

Top  notch,  the  highest  point  attainable. 

Topped,    hanged. 

Topper,  a  blow  on  the  head. 

Topper,  anything  above  the  ordinary. 

Top-piece,  a  hat,  tile  or  "dicer." 

Top  sawyer,  a  master  or  head  of  his  trade ;  originally  the  man 
at  the  upper  end  of  a  whip-saw. 

Topsy-turvy  (Old  Cant),  upside  down. 

Top-up,  a  finishing  drink. 

Torch  (Am.),  a  cigar  or  cigarette. 

To  rights,  "dead  to  rights,"  excellent,  very  good,  positive. 

Torn  up,  agitated,  worried,  grieved. 

Tory,  in  England  the  Conservative  party.  During  the 
Revolutionary  War  the  term  was  applied  to  the  royalist 
sympathizers.  Tory  is  practically  synonymous  with  retro- 
grade. 

Tot,  an  infant. 

Tot,  a  small  glass. 

Tote  (Am.),  to  carry. 

Tottie,  a  young  girl,  not  a  complimentary  term. 

Tot-up  or  Tote-up,  to  reckon  or  count;  to  add  together  a 
column  of  figures. 

Touch  (Am.),  to  obtain  money  from  one,  as  a  political 
worker  will  "touch"  a  candidate  for  anything  from  a  "V" 
up. 

Touch,  to  extract  money  from  a  person,  either  by  blackmail 
or  larceny. 

Touch-and-go,  very  near;  a  close  shave. 

Touched,  robbed  or  blackmailed. 


TOU— TRA  287 

Toacher,  "as  near  as  a,"  as  near  as  possible  without  actually 

coming  in  contact. 
Touch  flesh,  an  invitation  to  shake  hands. 
Touching  committee  (Am.),  a  self-appointed  gang  of  pol- 

iticans  and  ward  workers  who  "bleed"  candidates  for  office. 

Touchy,  pevish,  irritable. 

Tough  (Am),  a  street  loafer  and  bar-room  bully. 

Toure  (Gip.),  to  look  out,  to  see. 

Tout,  a  solicitor  for  trade,  such  as  stand  outside  cheap  cloth- 
ing stores  and  importune  passers-by.  Cheap  hotels  employ 
touts  at  the  railway  depots  to  **rope  in"  travelers  and 
immigrants. 

Tout,  to  watch  or  solicit. 

Tout,  in  sporting  phraseology,  one  who  watches  race  horses 
at  exercise  and  reports  to  his  employer  as  to  their  condition 
and  performances. 

Touter,  a  hotel  runner. 

Touzle  (Scotch),  to  romp  with  or  tumble.  Touzy  is 
tumbled  or  disheveled. 

To  wake  snakes  (Am.),  to  get  into  trouble. 

Towel  (Eng.),  to  beat  or  whip.  A  cudgel  was  formerly 
known  as  an  Oaken  Towel. 

Towelling,  a    beating  or    rubbing  down  with  an  Oakbn 

TOWKL. 

Tow-head,  a  person  with  light  hair. 

Tracks,  "to  make,"  (Am.),  to  go  away. 

Trade  (Am.),  to  barter  or  exchange,  to  sell  or  dicker. 

Tradesman  (Eng.),  a  mechanic  or  artisan;  one  who 
thoroughly  understands  his  business. 

Trail  (Am.),  a  path;  the  track  left  by  man  or  animals.  To 
"camp  on  the  trail"  is  to  follow  in  close  pursuit. 


288  TRA— TRE 

Trailer  (Am.),  the  street  cars  on  the  cable  lines  which  are 
drawn  by  the  "grip" 

Trailing  one's  coat,  trying  to  get  up  a  row,  as  the  Irishman 
did  at  Donnybrook  Fair  by  trailing  his  coat  for  somebody 
to  tread  upon. 

Train,  to  teach,  to  bring  up. 

Train,  "to  train  with,"  to  associate  with. 

Training-muster,  in  New  England,  the  annual  gathering  of 
the  militia  or  National  Guard  for  exercise  and  instruction. 

Tramp,  a  traveling  vagabond  who  works  when  he  must, 
steals  when  he  can  and  begs  at  all  times.  After  the  panic 
of  1873  a  great  many  men  who  had  been  thrown  out  of 
work  in  the  cities  started  to  tramp  the  country  in  the  hope 
of  finding  work  and  to  these  the  above  definition  does  not 
apply.  But  now-a-days  the  tramp  who  is  honest  and  will- 
ing to  work  if  he  could  get  work  to  do  is  a  rara  avis. 

Translator,  a  cobbler  who  revamps  old  boots  and  shoes. 

Trap,  a  detective. 

Trap  (Eng.),  a  light  carriage  with  two  wheels. 

Trapes,  to  gossip  and  gad-about. 

Trapesing,  untidy,  draggletailed. 

Traps  (Eng.),  baggage,  personal  effects. 

Trash,  the  leaves  of  the  sugar  cane. 

Trash,  anything  paltry  or  contemptible;  worthless.  See 
White  Trash. 

Traveler,  a  tramp's  name  for  tramps. 

Treasury,  in  theatrical  parlance,  the  pay  department  of  a 
theatre.     *'No  treasury"  means  no  salary. 

Treat,  to  pay  for  a  drink  or  cigar  for  another  person. 

Tree,  "up  a  tree,"  (Am.),  in  difficulties. 

Treed  (Am.),  cornered,  caught,  as  a  'coon  or  other  animal 
when  compelled  to  seek  refuge  in  a  tree. 


TRE— TRU  289 

Trews  (Scotch),  tight  fitting  trousers. 
Trim,  to  beat,  "I'll  trim  your  jacket." 
Trimmingfs,  the  necessary  adjuncts  to  anything  cooked.  Sam 

Weller  was  invited  to  a  "swarry"  by  the  swell  footmen   of 

Bath ;  the  refreshments  consisting  of  a  boiled  leg  of  mutton 

and  trimmings. 
Troll,  a  method  of  fishing  by  means  of  a  line  trailed    from  a 

boat  in  motion. 
Trollop,  a  slatternly  woman. 

Trolly,  a  cart  or  two-wheeled  conveyance  used  for  freight. 
Trot  out,  to  draw  out  or  to  exploit. 
Trotter  cases,  shoes. 
Trotters,  feet. 

Truck  (Am.),  vegetables,  *'garden-sass." 
Truck,  to  exchange  or  barter. 

Truck,  to  deal  with.     "I  don't  want  any  truck  with  you." 
Truck-patch,  a  piece  of  ground  used  for  raising  vegetables 

etc. 
Trucks,  trousers. 
Truck  system,  that  under  which  miners  and  other  workmen 

are  compelled  to  take  a  great  part  of  their  pay  in  orders  on 

a  store  mantained  by  their  employers. 
Trull  (Old  Eng.),  a  common  woman  or  slut;  a  "tinker's 

trull.^' 
Trump,  a  good  fellow,  "a  regular  trump." 
Trump,  to  play  a  trump  card  is  to  score  a  success.     To   turn 

up  trumps  is  to  meet  with  good  luck. 
Trust,  a   combination  of  manufacturers  or  dealers  for  the 

purpose  of  limiting  production  and  advancing  prices,  or  one 

of  railroads,  gas  companies  and  other  corporations  for  their 

own  benefit  and  to  the  detriment  of  the    public.    See 

Combine  ante. 


290  TRY— TUR 

Try-on,  a  dodge  or  attempt  at  extortion  or  overcharge;  an 

attempt  to  swindle. 
Tub  (Eng.),  to  bathe. 

Tub  thumper,  a  preacher,  usually  applied  to  itinerant  ranters. 
Tuck  (Eng.),  schoolboy's  term  for  food,  fruit,  pastry  etc. 
Tuckered  out  (Am.),  tired  out. 
Tuck  in  or  Tuck  out  (Eng.),  a  hearty  meal  j  "a  good  tuck 

in." 
Tuck  on,  to  add  to  the  price. 
Tuft  (Eng.),  a  University  swell,  from  the  gilded  tufts  on  the 

caps  of  fellow-commoners,  who  are  wealthy  men  and  often 

the  sons  of  noblemen. 
Tufthunter,  (Eng.).  a  hanger-on  to  persons  of  wealth  and 

distinction.     See  Tuft  ante. 
Tulip  (Eng.),  a  complimentary  term  applied  to  a  manor  boy 

"How  are  you,  my  tulip?" 
Tumble^  to  understand;  to  "fall." 
Tumble-bugr,  a  beetle. 

Tune  the  old  cow  died  of;  any  discordant  music. 
Turf,  horse  racing  and  betting  thereon. 
Turf,  "on  the,"   as  to  men   those  connected  with  racing   and 

betting  on  races;  as  to  women  synonymous  with  "on  the 

town." 
Turn,  "to   call   the,"  to   guess  right.     In  the  game  of  faro 

when  three  cards  are   left  in  the  box   the  player  who  can 

name  the  order  in   which  they  will  come  out  "calls  the 

turn"  and  wins  accordingly. 
Turnip,  an  old  fashioned  watch. 
Turn  it  up,  to  quit,  change  or  abandon. 
Turn  out  (Eng.),  a  carriage  and  horses. 
Turnpike  sailors,  beggars  who  pretend  to  be    shipwrecked 

seamen. 


TUR— TWO  291 

Turn  up,  to  appear  unexpectedly,  "something  may  turn  up." 
Mr.  Micawber  was  always  waiting  for  something  to  turn 
up. 

Turn  up,  an  impromptu  fight. 

Turpentine  State,  North  Carolina. 

Tusheroon,  an  English  crown  piece;  five  shillings, 

Tussle,  a  struggle,  row  or  argument. 

Tussle,  to  struggle  or  wrestle  with. 

Twaddle,  idle  talk,  rubbish. 

Twelver,  an  English  shilling  or  twelve  pence. 

Twig,  to  comprehend,  same  as  Tumble  or    Catch  on. 

"A  landsman  said,  I  twig  the  cove 

He's  been  upon  the  mill 
And 'cos  he  gammons  so  the  flats 
We  calls  him  Veeping  Bill." 

—Itigoldsby. 
Twist,  appetite. 

Twist,  brandy  and  gin  mixed. 

Twitchety,  nervous,  fidgety. 

Twitter,  to  tremble. 

Twitter,  to  sing. 

Two-eyed-steak  (Eng.),  a  herring  or  bloater. 

Two-handed,  expert  with  the  fists. 

Two  penny  or  Tupp*ny  (Eng.),  the  head.     At  the  game  of 

leap-frog  one  boy  will  call   to  another  to  "tuck   in  his 

tupp'ny." 
Two-penny  half-penny     (Eng.),     paltry,    small.       The 

American  equivalent  is  Picayunish  {g.  v.) 
Two-penny  rope  (Eng.),  a  low   lodging  house  where  the 

bed  clothing,  such  as  it  is,  is  suspended  from  or  fastened  to 

ropes  as  a  guard  against  the  predatory  habits  of  the  lodgers. 

In  the  morning  the  rope  is  pulled  up  as  a  signal  that  it  is 

time  to  arise. 


292  TWO— TYP 

Two  to  one  (Eng.),  the  pawnbroker's  sign,  it  being  two  to 
one  that  you  never  again  see  the  article  pawned. 

Two  upon  ten  (Eng.),  two  eyes  upon  ten  fingers;  a  signal 
for  watchfulness  in  shops  when  a  person  suspected  of  shop- 
lifting is  noticed.  Shortened  to  Two  Pun'  ten,  it  passes  as 
a  money  term  £2,  los,  od.  and  if  it  is  not  convenient  to  call 
out,  that  amount  is  written  on  a  piece  of  paper  and  handed 
to  the  clerk. 

Tycoon,  the  master  or  "boss,"  often  "Big  Tycoon."  From 
the  Japanese  ruler. 

Tyke  or  Tike  (Eng.),  a  dog. 

Typo,  a  compositor. 


u 

TJglSt  is  used  In  the  Northern  States  of  the  Union  as  an 
equivalent  for  ill-tempered.  In  England  it  means  ill-favored, 
unpleasant  to  look  upon. 

Ullages,  dregs  of  wine  left  in  glasses  and  bottles. 
Uncle  (Am.),  a  term  applied  to  an  old  negro  man. 
Uncle  Sam,  the  tutelary  genius  of  the  United  States. 

All  ye  icebergs  make  salaam 

You  belong  to  Uncle  Sam. — Br^t  Harte. 

The  phrase  "Uncle  Sam"  arose  during  the  war  of  1812  with  England  An 
army  contractor  named  Elbert  Anderson  had  a  storeyard  at  a  small  town  on 
the  Hudson.  A  government  inspector  named  Samuel  Wilson,  who  was 
always  called  "Uncle  Sam,"  supermtended  the  examination  of  the  supplies, 
and  when  they  were  passed  each  cask,  box,  or  package  was  marked  "E.  A. — 
U.  S.,"  the  initials  of  the  contractor  and  of  the  United  States.  The  man 
whose  duty  it  was  to  mark  the  casks,  being  asked  what  the  letters  meant, 
rephed  that  they  stood  for  Elbert  Anderson  and  "Uncle  Sam."  The  story 
was  retold,  printed,  and  spread  throughout  the  army  and  the  country. 

Underaclond,  in  difficulties. 

Understandings,  boots  or  feet. 

Understudy,  one  \srho  studies  a  part  for  the  stage  with  a 

view  to  taking  the  place  of  the   regular  actor  or   actress  in 

case  of  their  failure  to  appear. 
Under  the  rose,  under  the  obligation  of  silence  and  secrecy. 

Usually  quoted  in  its  Latin  form  of  sub  rosa. 
Unfortunate,   an  euphemism  for  a  woman  of  the  town, 

derived  from  Thomas  Hood's  famous  poem: 

"One  more  unfortunate 

Weary  of  breath 
Rashly  importunate 

Gone  to  her  death." 
393 


294  UNL— USE 

TJnlicked,  ill-trained,  loutish,  rude. 

Unload,  on  the  Stock  Exchange  or  Board  of  Trade,  to  sell 

out  stock. 
Unterrified  (Am.),  an  adjective  often  applied  to  the    Dena- 

ocratic  party. 
Unwashed,  «'the  great"  (Eng.),  the  lower  classes. 
Up,  has  many  meanings.     To  be  up  to  a  thing  or  two  is  to 

be  clever,  knowing.     To  put  a  man  up   to  anything  is  to 

post  him,  or  teach  him  a  trick.     "All  up"  means  that  it  is 

all  over  with  him  and  "what's  up?"  signifies  "what  is  the 

news?" 
Upper  crust,  the  higher  classes  of  society. 
Upper  story,  the  head. 
Upper  ten  or  Upper  ten  thousand,  the  English  aristocracy 

and  the  higher  class  of  gentry.  The  New  York  equivalent 

is  McAllister's  "400." 
Uppish,  proud,  arrogant. 
Upright  man,   a  Gipsy  or  initiated  rogue. 
Up  the  flume   (Am.),  ruined. 
Up  the  spout,  pawned. 
Up  to  dick,  is  about  equal  to  Up  to  Snuff,  that  is  knowing, 

smart. 
USQd  up,  tired,  beaten. 


Vaga.  "to  vag'*  in  police  parlance,  is  to  run  a  man  in  as  a 
vagabond;  one  without  visible  means  of  support. 

Talley  tan  (Am.),  bad  whisky. 

Tamose  (Span),  to  go.  ♦* Vamose  the  ranch,"  leave  the 
place. 

Vamp,  to  cobble  or  tinker  up. 

Vaquero  (Span),  a  horseman  or  cattle  tender. 

Varmint,  a  corruption  of  vermin,  an  opprobrious  term.  The 
returned  convict  in  Great  Expectations  speaks  of  himself 
in  the  third  person  as  a  "poor  varmint." 

Tamisher,  one  who  passes  imitation  gold  coin;  otherwise  a 
Snide-pitcher  (f.  z>.) 

Tarsity  (Eng.),  either  University;  Oxford  or  Cambridge. 

Velvet,  **to  stand  on,"  when  a  bookmaker  has  so  shaped  his 

b  operations  on  a  race  by  hedging  that  he  cannot  lose  and 

/  stands  to  win  on  one  or  more  horses  he  stands  on  velvet. 

*   Velvet  also  means  winnings  at  any  game  of  chance. 

Vendue  (French  vendre  to  sell),  a  public  auction.  In  Scot- 
land it  is  called  a  Roup  (^.  z^.) 

Veneer,  artificiality,  polish,  conventionality. 

Vest-pocket  vote.    Citizens  who  object  to  party  dictation  or 

,  who  for  other  reasons  do  not  care  to  accept  tickets  from  the 
pedlers  at  the  polls  prepare  them  at  home  and  carry  them, 
(usually  in  the  vest  pocket  as  being  handiest)  to  the  polls. 

Vest,  "pull  down  your;"  one  of  the  absurd  street  sayings 
which  from  time  to  time  flourish  and  fade.     It  had  a  nm 


296  VET— VOY 

some  years  ago  but  is  now  happily  heard  no  more  and 
scarcely  deserves  mention. 

Vet,  a  veterinary  surgeon. 

Vigilance  Committee  (Am.),  a  self-appointed  organization 
for  the  purpose  of  punishing  criminals  who  have  gone  un- 
whipped  of  justice.  The  most  famous  was  that  which 
"regulated"  San  Francisco;  the  most  recent  that  which 
hanged  and  shot  the  '^Mafia"  suspects  at  New  Orleans. 

Vim,  spirit,  energy. 

Voyagr^W  (French)}  a  Canadian  boatman. 


w 


"Wabster  (Scotch),  from  We5,  a  weaver. 

"Wabble  or  Wobble,  to  move  from  side  to  side,  to  roll  about 

Wad  (Am.),  a  roll  of  bills. 

Wad,  a  lunch  or  light  meal. 

Wake  (Irish),  the  friends  of  a  dead  man  sit  up  all  night  with 
the  corpse,  the  usual  accompaniments  being  large  quantities 
of  whisky  and  much  tobacco. 

Wake,  an  English  country  fair. 

Waking  Snakes  (Am.),  getting  into  trouble. 

Waking  up  the  wrong  passenger,  making  a  mistake  in  the 
man  as  is  sometimes  done  by  thieves  on  sleeping-cars  and 
steamboats,  who  attempt  to  rob  a  man  whom  they  suppose 
to  be  asleep  and  find  him  too  much  for  them. 

Walker,  sometimes  Hookey  Walker,  an  ejaculation  of  in- 
credulity. 

Walking-papers,  "to  get  one's,"  is  to  be  discharged  from 
employment. 

Walk  into,  to  overcome,  to  demolish,  to  scold  or  thrash.     It 

""  also  means  to  get  in  debt,  "He  walked  into  the  tradesmen ;" 
and  sometimes  to  "walk  into  the  grub,"  i.  e.  to  eat  a  big 
dinner. 

Walk-over,  when  there  Is  no  opposition  one  horse  walks 
over  the  course  and  his  owner  claims  the  stakes.  An  un- 
opposed election  is  a  walk-over. 

Walk  Spanish,  to  make  a  man  come  up  to  time. 


298  V/AL— WAT 

Walk  tiPi  An  expi'ession  which  may  be  friendly  or  the  con- 
trary. There  is  a  great  difference  between  "Walk  up 
Moriarty"  and  "Morlarty,  walk  up." 

Walk  your  cbalks,  to  walk  straight  or  to  behave  properly. 
A  drunken  man  finds  great  difficulty  in  walking  along  a 
chalk  line. 

Wallflower,  those  who  at  a  ball  do  not  dance,  either  from 
lack  of  inclination  or  of  partners,  and  who  while  the  danc- 
ing is  going  on  range  up  against  the  walls. 

Wallop,  to  beat  or  trash. 

Walloping",  a  thrashing.  Also  used  as  an  adjective  to 
express  size,  greatness. 

Wampum  (Indian),  strings  of  shells  or  beads  used  as 
currency. 

Warm  (Eng.),  rich. 

Warm,  to  thrash.  "I'll  warm  your  jacket."  Also  to  abuse; 
to  make  it  hot  for  anybody. 

Warming-pan,  one  who  holds  an  office  or  a  benefice  until 
another  shall  have  become  qualified  to  take  it. 

Warming-pan,  an  old-fashioned  gold  watch  of  considerable 
size. 

Warm  with  (Eng.),  hot  spirits  and  water  with  sugar. 

War  paint,  full  dress. 

Warpath,  "on  the,"  (Am.),  ready  for  a  fight. 

Wash,  "that  won't,"  that  will  not  stand  investigation ;  any- 
thing not  genuine. 

Washed  out,  faded,  sickly-looking. 

Wash-out  (Am.),  where  a  roadway,  bridge  or  railroad  em- 
bankment is  carried  away  by  a  flood. 

Waste,  to  reduce  one's  weight  by  training. 

Watchmaker,  a  pickpocket  or  watch-thief. 

Watch  out  (Am.),  look  out. 


WAT— WEL 


399 


Water;  to  water  stock  Is  to  increase  the  capita]  stock  of  a 
railroad  or  other  corporation  without  receiving  value  for 
the  stock  thus  issued. 

Water  bewitched  (Sea),  very  weak  tea  ©r  grog. 

Watering  stock.    See  Water  ante. 

Wattles,  ears. 

Wax,  (Eng.),  a  rage. 

Wax,  to  beat  or  overcome. 

Weak-kneed,  undecided,  not  reliable. 

Weak  Sister,  any  person  who  cannot  be  relied  upon. 

Wearing  the  willow,  is  said  of  one  disappointed  in  love: 

All  round  my  hat  I  wears  a  green  willow; 
All  round  my  hat,  for  a  twelvemonth  and  a  day 
If  any  one  should  ask  me  the  reason  why  I  do  so^ 
I  tell  s  'em  for  my  true  love  that's  far,  far  away. 

Wears  the  breeches,  said  of  a  wife  who  runs  the  house  her 
own  way  and  whose  husband  has  nothing  to  say  about 
family  matters. 

Weather  eye,  a  cautious  eye.  One  who  keeps  a  sharp  look- 
out is  said  to  **keep  his  weather  eye  open," 

Wedge  (Old  Cant),  silver. 

Wee  (Scotch),  little. 

Weed,  a  cigar,  or  tobacco  in  any  form. 

Weed,  a  mourning  hat  band. 

Weeds,  a  widow's  mourning. 

Weighing  in,  in  racing  phraseology,  jockeys  weighing 
before  the  race. 

Weight-for-age,  where  horses  are  penalized  according  "•  to 
their  ages,  and  not,  as  in  handicaps,  according  to  their  per- 
formances. Thus  a  five  year  old  may  carry  14  to  20 
pounds  more  than  a  three  year  old. 

Wolcher  or  Welsher  (Eng.),  the  pests  of  a  race-course  who 


300  WEL— WHA 

make  bets  without  ever  Intending  to  pay  and  abscond  when 
the  race  goes  against  them. 

Welt,  to  thrash  with  a  stick. 

Wench,  an  Enghsh  provincialism  for  a  young  girl  or  servant 
man ;  in  the  United  States  applied  to  a  negress. 

Wet,  a  drmk,  a  drain. 

Wet  Blanket,  a  kill- joy  J  to  dampen  one's  prospects. 
Wet  groceries  (Am.),  spirituous  liquors. 
Wet  Night  (Eng.),  an  all-night  debauch. 
Wet  the  other  eye,  take  another  drink. 
Wet  your  whistle,  (properly  w-^e^,  to  sharpen);  to  take  a 
drink. 

Whack,  a  share  or  lot. 

Whack,  a  blow;  to  whack,  to  beat. 

Whacker,  a  lie  of  fair  and  full  proportions;  a  Bouncer 
{g.  V.) 

Whacking,  a  thrashing. 

Whacking,  large,  fine,  strong. 

Whacks,  "to  go,"  to  divide  equally. 

Whack  up,  to  pay  or  to  divide. 

Whale  (Am.),  to  beat  or  thrash. 

Whale,  "very  like  a,"  said  of  anything  improbable.  See 
Hamlet. 

Whaling  (Am.),  a  thrashing. 

Whangdoodle  (Am.),  this  mysterious  animal,  like  the 
"gyascutis"  of  circus  fame,  has  never  been  beheld  of  man 
and  its  attributes  and  habits  are  entirely  unknown. 

Wharf-rat,  a  dock  loafer  and  thief,  who  steals  rope  and  any- 
thing else  he  can  reach  from  ships  at  anchor  or  in  the 
docks. 


WHA— WHI  301 

"What's  o'clock,  "to  know,"  to  be  "up  to  the  time  of  day," 

to  be  knowing,  cunning. 
"Wheelhorse    (Am.),  a    leader;  "the  wheelhorses  of  the 

Democratic  Party. 
"Wheels,  *'to  grease  the,"  to  furnish  money  for  carrying  out 

a  scheme. 
Wheeze,  a  joke  or  anecdote  not  properly  in  the  play  but  in- 
troduced by  an  actor  on  his  own  account;  same  as  Gag 

{q.  V.) 
Wherewithal,  money. 
Whet,  to  sharpen;  an  appetizer. 
Whlds,  (Old   Eng.),  words.     "Cut  bien  whids."   (Gip.), 

speak  good  words. 
Whigr,  in  England  a  member  of  the  moderate  Liberal  party; 

during  the   Revolutionary  War  one  who  was  loyal  to  the 

United  States. 
Whim-wham,  nonsense,  rubbish,  f  ancif  ulness. 
Whip  (Am.),  to  surpass,  to  thrash. 
Whip,  to  take  up  quickly. 

Whip,  in  the  English  House  of  Commons,  the  member 
charged  with  the  duty  of  keeping  his  party  together  and 
having  them  ready  to  vote  when  necessary. 

Whipper-snapper  (Eng.),  a  diminutive  insignificant  person. 

Whippingr  the  devil  arouud  the  stump,  publicly  denoun- 
cing some  habit  or  practice  and  yet  excusing  it  under 
certain  circumstances ;  in  other  words  preaching  one  thing 
and  practicing  another. 

Whipsawed  (Am.),  left  in  the  lurch. 
Whisper,  a  tip,  information  given  secretly. 
Whisper,  to  borrow  money  in  small  sums. 
Whisperer,  a  constant  borrower. 


302  WHI 

Whistle,  "clean  as  a;"  neat,  cleverly  done. 
WMstle,  "to  pay  for  one's,"  to  pay  extravagantly  for  any 
fancy. 

Whistle,    "to    wet  one's,"    to  drink.      See  Wet    Your 

Whistle. 
Whistling-shop  (Eng.),  an  unlicensed  liquor- house. 
White  Caps  (Am.),  irregular  regulators  of  public  morals;  a 

sort  of  northern  Ku-Klux. 

Whitechapel,  in  tossing  coppers,  where  the  "best  two  out 
of  three"  wins. 

Whitechapel,  anything  mean  or  paltry. 

White  Choker,  a  white  necktie  of  the  kind  affected  by 

clergyman,  lawyers  and  doctors  and  worn  as  full-dress. 
White  eye,  bad  whisky;  Same  as  Red-Eye  (^.  v.) 

White-feather,  "to  show  the,"  to  display  cowardice.  A 
game-cock  with  a  white  feather  in  his  wing  or  tail  is  not 
pure  bred  and  generally  "flies  the  pit." 

White  lie,  a  mild  variety  of  falsehood. 

White  liners  (Am.),  a  political  party  in  Louisiana  opposed 
to  negro  domination. 

White-livered,  cowardly. 

White  prop,  a  diamond  pin. 

White  satin  (Eng.),  gin. 

White  Sergeant,  a  wife  who  "wears  the  breeches." 

White  trash  (Am.),  the  poor  whites  of  the  South. 

White  »un  (Eng.),  a  silver  watch. 

Whitewash,    to  rehabilitate;   a  bankrupt  or  insolvent    is 

"whitewashed"  by  process  of  court. 
White  wine  (Eng.),  gin. 
White  wings  (Am.),  poached  eggs. 


WHI— WIG  303 

Whittle  (Old  Eng.),  a  knife.     "A  Sheffield  whittle  bore  he 

in  his  belt."   Chaucer. 
Whittle  (Am.),  to  cut  with  a  pocket  knife. 
Whole  Cloth  (Am.),  a  lie   made  out  of  whole  cloth  is  one 

without  any  substratum  of  truth. 
Whole  hog  or  none,  "to  go  the,"  to  do  anything  thoroughly 

or  not  at  all. 
Whole  team  (Am.),  a  good   fellow  is  a  whole  team  and 

superlatively  "with  a  big  yellow  dog  under  the  wagon." 
Whoop  her  up;  to  make  things  go. 
Whop,  to  trash  or  beat;  a  corruption  of  whip. 
Whopper,  a  lie ;  anything  large. 
Whopping,  a  beating. 

Wide-awake  (Am.),  abroad-brimmed  soft  hat,  otherwise 
known  as  a  billycock,  (Eng.) 

Wide-awake  (Eng.),  knowing,  smart.  Compare  Up  to 
Snuff  and  "Fly." 

Wideawakes  (Am.),  a  political  organization,  largely  com- 
posed of  marching  clubs,  named  from  the  slouch  hats  worn 
by  the  members.  It  was  formed  in  1859  and  was  a  prom- 
inent factor  within  the  Republican  party. 

Wido  (Eng.),  knowing,  wide-awake. 

Wide  open  (Am.),  "to  run  things,"  is  to  go  on  without 
much  care  for  results ;  to  cut  a  big  swath. 

Widow,  in  card  games,  an  extra  hand  which  may  be  taken  up 
by  the  players  in  turn. 

Wife,  in  thieves  cant,  a  fetter  fastened  on  one  leg. 

Wigging  (Eng.),  a  rebuke  or  scolding. 

Wiggle,  to  wriggle  about,  to  bend  the  body  from  side  to  side. 

Wigwam  (Indian),  an  Indian  cabin,  lodge  or  tepee,  shaped 
like  a  tent. 


304  WIL— WIR 

Wild,  vexed,  cross,  passionate,  mad. 

Wild-cat  (Am.),  country  bank-notes  of  more  than  doubtful 

reputation.     Also  known  as  Red  Dog  and  Stumptail. 
Wild  oats  (Eng.),  youthful  pranks,  dissipation;   fast  young 

men  are  said  to  "sow  their  wild  oats." 
William,  a  bill. 
Willow,  a  cricket  bat. 
Wilt,  to  wither,  to  droop. 
Wind,  empty  talk,  bragadoccio,  gas. 
Wind,  "to  raise  the,"  to  procure  money. 
Wind,  "to  slip  one's,"  to  die. 
Windbagr,   a  bloviant  braggart. 
Windfall,  fruit  shaken  down  by  the  winds.    Also  a  slice  of 

unexpected  luck,  or  a  legacy. 
Windows,  the  eyes;  poetically  "the  windows  of  the  soul;" 

in  slang  known  as  "peepers." 
Winey  (Eng.),  intoxicated. 
Winged,  shot  in  the  arm  or  shoulder. 
Winking",  "like,"  very  quickly. 
Wipe,  a  handkerchief. 
Wipe,  a  blow,  to  strike. 
Wiped  out,  dead. 

Wipe-out  (Am.),  to  destroy  or  finish. 
Wiping  one's  eye,  taking  a  drink. 
Wire,  to  telegraph. 
Wire  in,  go  in  with  a  will;  advice  given  by  bystanders  to  a 

boy  in  a  street  fight. 
Wire-puller  (Am.),  a  political  "fine  worker,"  who  sets  up 

plans   for  the  election  of  candidates  and  the  passage  or 

defeat  of  legislative  measures. 
Wire-pulling  (Am.),  political  manipulation. 


WIS— WOR  305 

Wisdom  tooth,  a  large  back  tooth  which  does  not  make  its 
appearance  until  long  after  all  the  others,  when  a  person 
has  presumably  arrived  at  the  age  of  discretion. 

Wise  woman,  a  midwife.  The  French  call  her  sage-femme. 
Wisliy-washy,  weak,  insipid. 

With  a  string  to  it  (Am.),  a  gift  or  donation  made  con- 
ditionally and  subject  to  withdrawal. 

Wobbler,  a  foot  soldier. 

Wobbly,  rickety,  unsteady. 

Wolf,  to  eat  ravenously ;  to  rob. 

Wolf,  a  hard  man,  a  bargain-driver  or  extortioner. 

Wollop,  to  beat. 

Woodbine,  "gone  where  the  woodbine  twineth;"  passed 

away;  out  of  sight. 
Wooden  overcoat,  a  coffin. 
Wooden  wedding^    (Am.),    the    fifth    anniversary    of    a 

wedding. 
Wood  up  (Am.),  to  load  a  steamboat  with  wood  for  fuel. 
Wool,  to  tear  the  hair. 

Wool-gathering,  wandering  in  mind ;  in  a  reverie. 
Wool  over  the  eyes,  "to  pull  the,"  to  impose  upon  one. 
Wooly  (Eng.),  a  blanket. 
Wooly  (Eng.),  out  of  temper. 
Work,  to  plan,  to  scheme,  to  victimize. 
Working  the  oracle,  manseuvering,  scheming. 
Worm,  a  policeman. 
Worm-fence,  an  irregular  rail  fence,  otherwise  a  Snakb 

Fence. 
Worriment,  trouble,  worry.  , 

Worrit  (Old  Eng.)  to  worry  or  scold. 


3o6  WRA— WUN 

Wrathy,  angry. 

Wrestle,  to  strive  with,  as  a  boy  wrestles  with  his  lessons  or 
a  man  with  a  tough  job  of  work. 

Wrinkle,  an  idea;  a  dodge  or  trick. 

Wanner,  a  Cockneyism  for  "one  'er."  The  Marchioness 
uses  it  in  the  Old  Curiosity  Shop^  to  express  her  apprecia- 
tion of  the  manifold  virtues  of  Miss  Sally  Brass. 


Yack  (Gip.),  a  watch. 

Tahoo,  a  low-class,  vulgar  person.     See   Swift,    Gulliver's 
Travels. 

ITam,  to  eat. 

Yams,  stupid  people. 

Yank,  to  pull  or  jerk. 

Yankee,  popular  name  for  New  Englanders.  The  English, 
who  speak  of  Canadians  as  Americans,  and  of  the  United 
States  as  *'the  States,"  term  all  citizens  of  the  United 
States  Yankees,  even  if  they  hail  from  Illinois,  California 
or  Georgia.  The  word  is  derived  from  "Yengees,"  an 
attempt  of  the  Massachusetts  Indians  to  say  "English." 

Yankeedom,  New  England. 

Yankee  Doodle,  a  doggerel  song,  the  tune  of  which  is  often 
played  as  a  march.  The  first  recorded  appearance  of  tne 
tune  is  in  the  old  song,  {temp  Charles  II.)y  "Lucy  Locket 
lost  her  pocket."  Yankee  Doodle  is  used  as  a  generic  term 
for  the  United  States. 

Yannam,  bread. 

Yannap,  an  English  penny.  This  is  back-slang  but  has 
passed  into  common  use. 

Yappy,  soft,  foolish. 

Yard  of  clay,  a  long  clay  pipe,  otherwise  a  Church- 
warden (j'.  V.) 

Yarn,  a  sailor's  story.  To  "spin  a  yarn,"  is  to  tell  a  tale  and 
a  "tough  yam"  is  one  hard  lo  believe. 

ao7 


3oS  YCL— YOU 

Yclept,  or  Clepped  (Old  Eng.),  called,  named.   See  Lovers 

Labor  Lost. 
Yellow  boy,  an  English  sovereign  or  pound. 
Yellow  Jack,  the  yellow  fever. 
Yidden.  the  Jewish  people. 
Yiddish,  a  kind  of  bastard  Hebrew   dialect,  much  used   by 

London  Jews  of  the  lower  order. 
Yokel,  a  countryman  or  greenhorn. 
Yorkshire,  "to  come,"  to  cheat  or  overreach   in  a  bargain. 

Yorkshiremen  have  a  great  reputation  for  sharpness,   par- 
ticularly in  trading  horses. 
Y  orkshire  reckoning,  or  "treat,"  where  every  man  pays 

his  own  share:  same  as  a  Copenhagen  or  Philadelphia 

Treat  (^.  v.') 
Younker,  a  boy  or  youngster. 
You  *uns  and  We  'uns,  used   in  the   South  for   "you"  and 

"we." 


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